fDi in the News

April

Mahendra told reporters on Tuesday on the sidelines of the launch of the three-day Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). An investment report, published by the AIM forum in cooperation with the Financial Times' fDi Intelligence division, estimates the greenfield FDI in emerging markets will grow by about 8 percent annually over the next five years, while total FDI flows are expected to increase by about 10 percent annually during the same period.

Emerging markets and states in transition in 2013 accounted for 60.5 percent of the FDI flows and 54.0 percent of cross-border mergers and acquisitions, fDi Intelligence said in its report.Global emerging markets are poised to grow by 50 percent over the next 5 years, according to the report.

The top 10 cities that fDi Intelligence identified as landing spots for foreign capital were, in order: New York, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Houston, Atlanta, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago. Like other gateway cities, Vancouver is benefiting from the energy and diversity that brings, said speakers at the Urban Land Institute’s spring meeting, where a focus of many workshops is figuring out where international money is flowing.

In addition to building new facilities, most parent companies also create new long-term jobs in the foreign country by hiring new employees. Angus Cushley, Publishing Director of fDi Intelligence at Financial Times, said while releasing the report that the prospects are good as global FDI is set to grow on average eight per cent per annum over the next five years (2014-18) and FDI inflows to grow by at least ten per cent per annum over the same period.

At the recently-held MIPIM real estate fair, the leading international real estate exhibition and conference, Financial Times-owned fDi Intelligence appointed Copenhagen the most interesting small European region for foreign companies to invest in. The ranking is based on the ‘European Cities and Regions of the Future’ report, which measures the attractiveness of European regions and cities for investment purposes.

March

Five Serbian cities have been included in the list of Europe's top 10 cities and regions of the future compiled by the fDi Intelligence magazine. The awards, based on economic potential, human resources, cost effectiveness, quality of life, infrastructure and business environment, were given to Zajecar, Zrenjanin, Sremska Mitrovica, Ruma and Vranje. Albania signed a double taxation avoidance agreement with the United Arab Emirates at a meeting in Tirana.

The Mayor of Galway city, Padraig Conneely, and city manager Brendan McGrath travelled to the south of France last week to officially accept, on behalf of the city, the overall Micro Cities Award for European Cities and Regions of the future. It was announced recently that following a study of the most promising investment locations in Europe, fDi, a magazine published by the Financial Times, ranked Galway as the ‘Best Overall Micro City in Europe’. Galway was also ranked second place in the ‘Best Micro City for economic potential’ and third place in the ‘Best Micro City in business friendliness’ categories. Galway was the only micro city to be listed in the Top 25 overall European Cities of the Future.

Sheffield City Region’s Local Enterprise Partnership is better than any other UK LEP when it comes to its strategy for attracting foreigndirect investment, according to fDi Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times specialising in foreign direct investment and investment promotion. When it came to the league table of mid-sized European Regions, the Sheffield City Region was ranked eighth overall and sixth for its foreign direct investment strategy.

A team of experts of fDi Intelligence, which is a division of Financial Times, evaluated over 6 months the cities’ success in attracting foreign investments, and the chief criteria during selection were: the economic potential, human resources, cost effectiveness, quality of life, infrastructure and business environment. The award European Cities and Regions of the Future is given to the regions, towns and cities in Europe deemed most successful in attracting foreign investors, and the officials of the five Serbian cities received them in Cannes on March 12, according ot the websites of the five cities.

The city features in several lists for the top cities for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the fDi Magazine’s European Cities of the Future 2014-15. Liverpool has been ranked 21st in the overall Top 25 European Cities of the Future which was topped by London, with Helsinki and Eindhoven taking second and third places. Liverpool was just five places behind Paris in the ranking. Other UK cities that made the top 25 were Cambridge, Reading, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham and Derby.

Budapest has been ranked the most attractive city in Eastern Europe in 2014-15 from the point of view of foreign direct investment by fDi Magazine, an investment supplement of the Financial Times group, based on the nomination of the Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency (HITA). The magazine ranked 468 European cities and regions in five categories, such as economic potential, cost effectiveness, infrastructure and business friendliness.

City of York Council has picked up an award from the Financial Times fDi magazine, recognising the city's position in the top ten in Europe under two categories. It is ranked ninth in the small European cities overall category and eighth in the small European cities FDI strategy category. The rankings seek to recognise cities across the continent for their economic infrastructure and strategies, and York was praised for its investment and strategy for attracting foreign investment.

But in the overall European categories, quality rather than cost effectiveness put more expensive Western locations in pole position. Czech regions, Pardubice, Plzeň, and Prague respectively, occupied the first three places in a ranking of East European cities and regions of the future according to a biennial survey carried out by the Financial Times publication fDi intelligence, which is focused on trends in inward investment. The awards were announced on March 12.

We will try to maintain the level of attractiveness that we have achieved,” Pajtic said, adding that two years ago Vojvodina ranked fourth in investment effectiveness. Pajtic received the award at a ceremony attended by officials of European cities and regions as well as representatives of their respective agencies for promoting foreign investments. fDi Intelligence, a business publication of the Financial Times, has assessed the conditions for foreign investors in Vojvodina, the statement said.

Yesterday also saw the Bristol and Bath approach to attracting foreign direct investment recognised by fDi magazine – part of the Financial Times group – in an award ceremony at MIPIM. In their recently published rankings of European Cities and Regions of the Future, Bristol and Bath were ranked seventh in the top 25 European regions overall and number four in the small European regions ranking for our strategy for attracting foreign investment.

According to fDi jury member Michal Kaczmarski, Europe editor of fDi Magazine, Brabant's investor aftercare initiatives are very impressive, as well as practical support activities such as help for foreign workers and companies in obtaining necessary permits and information. "Such efforts offer investors a smooth landing in the region.

The Greater Zurich Area came in second place among all European regions and in first place among the smaller regions with the highest economic potential. According to the fDi magazine, the strengths of the Greater Zurich Area include human capital and lifestyle. Sonja Wollkopf Walt, CEO of the Greater Zurich Area AG, commented: “Recent economic rankings confirm, undoubtedly, that the Greater Zurich Area is one of the prime business locations in the world – now and in the future.

The Greater Zurich Area came in second place among all European regions and in first place among the smaller regions with the highest economic potential. According to the fDi magazine, the strengths of the Greater Zurich Areainclude human capital and lifestyle. Sonja Wollkopf Walt, CEO of the Greater Zurich Area AG, commented: "Recent economic rankings confirm, undoubtedly, that the Greater Zurich Area is one of the prime business locations in the world - now and in the future.

fDi respectable magazine of Financial Times, confirming once again that Macedonia has good business climate, Veles together with Shtip ranks them as micro city leaders for investment. According to fDi magazine, the Republic of Macedonia is standing better than almost all countries of our neighborhood.

Hampshire was commended for having particular strengths in terms of ‘business friendliness’ and ‘Foreign Direct Investment Strategy’ in the annual fDi European Cities and Regions of the Future 2014/15 rankings. Councillor Seán Woodward, executive member for economy, transport and environment at Hampshire County Council, said: ‘We are delighted to see Hampshire recognised as both a region with a clear strategy for attracting and retaining inward investment, and at the same time being business friendly.

The East Midlands city also came third out of ten in the ‘Top Ten Small European Cities – fDi Strategy’, the first UK city in the list. Derby followed Eindhoven in the Netherlands and Ghent in Belgium to pick up third position in this category which focuses on a city’s strategy for promoting FDI; offering the best prospects for investment, economic development and business expansion.

That makes it crucial for Europe's cities and regions to take a proactive stance towards FDI promotion and to ensure their investment environments are as competitive as possible. Our rankings recognise the locations that are doing just that, and highlight the respective strengths of cities and regions of all sizes across Europe," said Courtney Fingar, editor-in-chief of fDi Magazine.

That’s the message that UK and international businesses and investors will get when they open this month’s fDi Intelligence ‘European Cities and Regions of the Future’ report. Ranked 10th in the small regions group and one of thirteen UK regions making the top 25 in the overall European Regions category, Dorset is being noticed. According to this Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) division of the Financial Times, Dorset’s own Local Enterprise Partnership also ranks a high scoring 6th for its FDI strategy.

February

The city also ranked second in the Infrastructure category, in part due to its forthcoming Crossrail project – the largest civil engineering project in Europe – which will provide accessible, frequent and convenient rail transportation for citizens, linking Heathrow airport, the West End of the city, the financial City of London, Canary Wharf, Kent and Essex. London is also showing a clear strategy for attracting fDi.

The research by fDi Intelligence has commended the county for having particular strengths in terms of business friendliness and encouraging foreign investment. The findings were part of the annual fDi European Cities and Regions of the Future 2014/15 rankings. It was in the top 25 European regions overall, top 10 small European regions, top 10 small European regions for its business friendliness.

Among the delegation will be John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, an organisation that promotes Derby as a place to invest. He said the ranking in the fDi Intelligence report confirmed Derby as a leading European “city of the future”. He said: “It is quite an honour to be listed among Europe’s elite. It is important to recognise that these league tables are about economic performance and not size, which is why Derby scores so well.

And they have analysed Derby's potential and put them 23rd in the fDi Intelligence European Cities and Regions of the Future report. It sounds rather a mouthful but it surely emits a cast-iron ring of confidence to any company, from Europe, the USA or the Far East, weighing up where to build its next factory or offshoot. Derby is up there with the likes of Paris, Berlin and London. And it is not as though there was only a shortlist of 50 candidates – 468 cities in total were scrutinised. And there is certainly no pro-British bias in these rankings – no place for the likes of Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff, nor for the two obvious East Midlands local rivals.

In addition to the publicity from being ranked on the list, Dorset will be promoted and celebrated at international property and business growth events in Cannes and Kuala Lumpur next month. Councillor Ian Munro-Price, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council Economic Development brief holder said: “It is fantastic news that the borough and Dorset have been recognised in the top ten of Small European Regions of the Future 2014 by fDi Intelligence Magazine.

WORCESTERSHIRE Local Enterprise Partnership has been ranked one of England’s best for its foreign direct investment strategy. It has been rated in the top ten after extensive research conducted by the fDi Intelligence division of the Financial Times, which collected the data as part of its European Cities and Regions of the Future 2014/15 report. LEP regions submitted details of their strategy, which was then scored by the fDi’s judging panel.

"It is a challenging time for FDI in Europe. With sluggish growth in many of the major economies and continuing ill effects from the euro zone crises of last year, inflows into the region have declined. That makes it crucial for Europe's cities and regions to take a proactive stance towards FDI promotion and to ensure their investment environments are as competitive as possible. Our rankings recognise the locations that are doing just that, and highlight the respective strengths of cities and regions of all sizes across Europe," said Courtney Fingar, editor-in-chief of fDi Magazine.

European Cities and Regions of the Future 2014/15 is published by fDi Intelligence, a division of FT. The report highlights the best places in Europe for foreign direct investments in such categories as: Cost Efficiency, Business Friendliness and FDI Strategy. All European countries were grouped into four regions (Eastern, where Poland was classified, Western, Northern and Southern Europe) and in terms of the size of cities and regions.

Galway Bay fm newsroom - Galway has been named as one of the Top 25 European cities of the future. According to fDi Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times, Galway and Cork are the only two Irish cities listed in the overall league. While ranking 25th overall in terms of cities of the future, Galway ranks first in the category of Micro European cities - which are cities with a population of less than 100 thousand, beating Coburg in Germany and Bath in the U.K. Galway also ranks second just behind Luxembourg in terms of economic potential and third in terms of business friendliness just behind Newry and Shannon.

Cllr Ian Munro-Price, Weymouth & Portland Borough Council Economic Development brief holder, said: “It is fantastic news that the borough and Dorset have been recognised in the Top 10 of Small European Regions of the Future 2014 by fDi Intelligence Magazine. “This sort of recognition really puts Weymouth, Portland and the rest of Dorset on the map as somewhere to create or expand business.”

Both areas have been highly rated by fDi magazine, a Financial Times publication in a move which has been welcomed by business bosses. The magazine has placed Walsall seventh out of 468 European cities and regions for business friendliness in the small city category, appearing above Oxford, Geneva in Switzerland and Skopje in Macedonia. Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent was ranked 20th overall.

The county has been marked as a ‘region of the future’ by fDi Intelligence Magazine, produced by the Financial Times and distributed globally to international investors and companies looking to expand into foreign countries. The county has been recognised as a Top 10 Small European Region of the Future 2014 and is also listed in the Top 25 European Regions of the Future.

Courtney Fingar, editor-in-chief of fDi Magazine, commented: "It is a challenging time for FDI in Europe. With sluggish growth in many of the major economies and continuing ill effects from the euro zone crises of last year, inflows into the region have declined. That makes it crucial for Europe's cities and regions to take a proactive stance towards FDI promotion and to ensure their investment environments are as competitive as possible. Our rankings recognise the locations that are doing just that, and highlight the respective strengths of cities and regions of all sizes across Europe".

The town also scored highly in the leagues of the top UK cities, top small European cities and best European cities for business friendliness. Reading finds itself in good company in the fDi (foreign direct investment) Magazine European Cities & Regions of the Future 2014/15 report. Sue Brackley, economic development manager at Reading UK CIC, said: “The fDi awards demonstrate the international significance of Reading not only as one of the strongest economies in the UK but as a leading European city for business investment.”

That makes it crucial for Europe's cities and regions to take a proactive stance towards FDI promotion and to ensure their investment environments are as competitive as possible. Our rankings recognise the locations that are doing just that, and highlight the respective strengths of cities and regions of all sizes across Europe," said Courtney Fingar, editor-in-chief of fDi Magazine.

He said that The Financial Times, that is its business edition fDi Intelligence, assessed the conditions that foreign investors have once they arrive in Vojvodina. “The assessment focused on the technical competence of our Vojvodina Investment Promotion Fund, which is one of the best agencies in this part of Europe, and this is now officially confirmed,” Pajtic underlined, adding that the assessment also comprised the programs which are being realized via the Provincial Secretariat for Economy and the efficiency of the education center.

Birmingham was ranked in the top 20 European Cities of the Future 2014/15 by industry guide fDi Magazine. It is the highest placed of England's 'core cities'. The wider Greater Birmingham and Solihull region was also lauded in the top five for economic potential – the best performing UK region in Europe. Birmingham featured in the shortlist of five categories in total, including FDI (foreighn direct investment) strategy among Northern European Cities and a top five overall listing of large European cities.

The city's success, framed by fDi Magazine's European Cities and Regions of the Future for 2014/15 ranking, has been hailed as a triumph for the economic strategy introduced by Glasgow in 2011, underpinned by its skills base, retail sector and further and higher education institutions. The strategy, overseen by the private and public sectors, was phased in after an independent commission held in 2010 identified five sectors offering the greatest potential for economic growth and job creation.

The ranking of locations with the best prospects for inward investment, economic development, and business expansion is published today by fDi magazine, a Financial Times Ltd publication. Every two years, fDi rates locations in categories including economic potential, cost-effectiveness, infrastructure, business friendliness, labour environment, and foreign direct investment (FDI) strategy.

It is the third time Edinburgh has been ranked top of its category in Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine's awards. The city's strategy for attracting foreign direct investment has also been ranked the best of any mid-sized European city. The fDi ranking uses official statistics and expert opinions to rank the European cities and regions with the best prospects for inward investment, economic development and business expansion. Councillor Frank Ross, economy convenor for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: "This is a fantastic result that recognises the many exciting projects underway in Edinburgh.

Executives of about 500 companies polled by EY said India needs to reduce corruption and strengthen the rule of law, simplify its taxation system and develop its transportation infrastructure. But competitive labour costs, burgeoning domestic consumer demand and an educated and skilled workforce helped India attract more than 1,000 foreign direct investment projects worth more than $42 billion in the past 24 months, fDi Markets figures suggest.

January

According to fDi Intelligence data quoted in the report, India’s share of FDI was the fourth largest globally in 2012. This valued India's capital inflows at US$565bn, creating 1.62mn jobs – or 9.4% of jobs created globally through FDI. India’s “strong basic fundamentals”, including a high savings rate, increasingly skilled labor force and dynamic private sector, will help to drive India’s growth in the next two years following the “short-term slowdown” according to EY's analysis.

November

In February of this year, Business Facilities magazine gave the Louisiana Sasol project its Silver Award in its 2012 Economic Development Deal of the Year competition. The project was also named Best Refinery Project by fDi magazine in its first Project of the Year awards focused on foreign direct investment.

Also making central Florida attractive for this group is that Orlando is ranked as one of the top 10 "American Cities of the Future" in the large cities category by fDi Magazine. On the other side of the region is Tampa, ranked ninth on a list of safest cities for families with young children by Underwriters Laboratories and Sperlings BestPlaces.

In 2012, Governor Scott’s active and innovative approach to promoting international business won him an award as the top U.S. governor for foreign direct investment strategy from London-based fDi Magazine.

October

The City of Mississauga has been named the top mid-sized City of the Future in the Americas by Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine, beating out 79 other cities in the category. Mississauga also ranked first for business friendliness, second for economic potential, fourth for Foreign Direct Investment strategy and fourth for infrastructure. Published by the Financial Times of London, fDi Magazine produces a bi-annual ranking of cities in North, South and Central America.

fDi Magazine's Cities of the Future shortlists are created by an independent collection of data by fDi intelligence division across 422 cities across North and South America. Cities scored up to a maximum of 10 points under each individual criteria which were weighted by importance to give the overall scores. The ranking system focused on a mixture of data and expert opinions to rank cities that have the best prospects for inward investment, economic development and business expansion.

Courtney Fingar, Editor, fDi Magazine continues to say, "Its concurrent emergence as an economic power has kept the country front of mind. Yet China has outpaced it in attracting greenfield investment and other emerging markets are catching up quickly. Lingering problems in the business environment, such as excessive red tape, unfriendly legislation, tax uncertainties and inadequate intellectual property protection, are holding India back from reaching its full FDI potential."

"A worthy winner, South Africa has consistently outperformed its African neighbours in FDI [foreign direct investment] attraction since fDi Markets records began in 2003," says the magazine in its August/September edition. South Africa has the continent's biggest economy, with gross domestic product (GDP) at $5,8-billion or R3-trillion.

Nova Scotia, Canada was recently featured in the October/November 2013 edition of fDi Magazine. During a recent visit to our province, senior fDi reporter Michal Kaczmaski, saw first-hand the approach that we as a public-sector funded agency along with our many partners take to attract foreign direct investment. And, he heard directly from companies why Nova Scotia, Canada is a successful location for their business investment. See why Michal says Nova Scotia covers all bases.

In fDi's American Cities of the Future 2013/14 ranking, Toronto is ranked second behind only New York for "Overall North American Cities of the Future," followed by Montreal in third and Vancouver in fourth. Ottawa was a competitive underdog in the awards: competing in the Large City division, Ottawa was awarded the top spot for Best FDI Strategy and finished in the top 10 of four other categories-Economic Potential, Infrastructure, Business Friendliness and Large Cities Overall.

The city of Paterson has received an award from fDi Intelligence for foreign direct investment. The award was presented to the City of Paterson for Excellence in Infrastructure to support foreign investment and global business development. "This is a tremendous honor for the city,” said Mayor Jeffery Jones. “Our Administration has worked diligently to create and implement an economic development vision to make Paterson prosperous and economically sustainable.

September

In Richmond, specifically, business has been categorized as being grown on very fertile ground. Proof of that came this spring when fDi Magazine named Richmond among the top 10 "American Cities of the Future" for the second time in a row. Part of that distinction was attributed to the city placing well in three of eight categories in the evaluation of more than 400 cities.

Dubai is the first city in the Middle East, and only the second one globally, to be featured in fDi on Location. The emirate has also been ranked by fDi Magazine as the “Middle East City of the Future” for foreign direct investment, or FDI, attractiveness, and its free zones have dominated the magazine’s “Free Zones of the Future” rankings in recent years.

The Gate City was recently ranked in the top ten for best “Micro American Cities” in the human resources category based on a recent fDi Magazine listing. Data was collected from a total of 422 cities regarding five different categories such as economic potential, human resources, cost effectiveness, infrastructure and business friendliness.

An analysis of investors' motives, completed by the Financial Times' fDi Intelligence, shows universities have a three-fold impact - as producers of a highly-skilled talent pool, as a source of research, and as a key player in the creation of industry clusters. Scotland already performs strongly in competition for FDI, with GlaxoSmithKline, ResHydro, Molnlycke and Fujitsu, among others, investing in Scottish projects while citing universities as a determining factor.

August

It specifically mentioned the launch of Cayman Enterprise City, a knowledge-based special economic zone, which since its inception has attracted more than 50 companies. Wayne Panton, minister for financial services, investment and commerce, said being recognized as an attractive location for investment by a credible source such as fDi Magazine, a division of The Financial Times, is positive news for Cayman.

"The number of FDI projects attracted by Oman increased by 48.98% and its market share of inward FDI in the region increased from 3.16% in 2011 to 5.33% in 2012," said fDi Intelligence. "Egypt and Nigeria also experienced an increase in project numbers by 20% in 2012. Egypt experienced a large increase in capital investment in the country, rising by 64.67%. South Africa's market share of FDI into the region also increased to more than 10% in 2012."

The Cayman Islands is being lauded in a Regional Investment Report as one of the Caribbean most attractive locations for investment. The August 2013/2014 issue of the FDI Magazine’s Caribbean and Latin American Countries of the Future, places Cayman first in the category of Economic Potential.

fDi Intelligence, a unit of the Financial Times says that in the five years or so since the financial crisis made its impact felt, global FDI remains 20% lower than figures recorded in 2008. "Any hints of global recovery in FDI in 2010 and 2011 have been overshadowed by the 14.3% decline in 2012. In the context of this decline, the number of investments into the African continent fell to a lesser extent than any other world regions, down 7.9% in 2012.

twofour54, the commercial arm of the Media Zone Authority-Abu Dhabi, has announced its results for the first half of 2013. The six month period has seen twofour54 placed 11th in the Middle East in the Financial Times’ Foreign Direct Investment Magazine (fDi)’s bi-annual ‘Middle East Free Zones of the Future’ rankings and awards for 2013. The rankings identify the most promising special economic zones and locations for inward investment, economic development and business expansion in the region. twofour54 ranked 21st in the Global fDi ranking published in 2012.

It has also been ranked as one of the top free zones in the Middle East by Foreign Direct Investment Magazine (fDi). The biannual Middle East Free Zones of the Future awards identifies the most promising special economic zones and locations for investment, economic development and business expansion. In the first half of this year, twofour54 came 11th in the rankings, up from 21st last year.

The rankings identify the most promising special economic zones and locations for inward investment, economic development and business expansion in the region. twofour54 ranked 21st in the Global fDi ranking published in 2012. The judging criteria for fDi Magazine's rankings are designed to recognise which freezones have not only shown exceptional growth but also those which also offer the best services, facilities and incentives for tenants.

fDi Magazine, published by the Financial Times Group, places the city on several of its lists of North American cities for its strategy to attract foreign investment. Efforts to diversify the local economy from heavy industry to high growth sectors such as food and beverage, advanced manufacturing and health care were also noted. Hamilton was also ranked third on the magazine's Top 10 Mid-sized Cities of the Future list; eighth for "business friendliness" and ninth for infrastructure.

The American Cities of the Future 2013/14 report was released by fDi Magazine, “the flagship publication for the fDi Intelligence portfolio and is published by The Financial Times Ltd.” Since its launch in 2011, it has become firmly established as the “leading title for the business of globalization.” The American Cities of the future 2013/14 title may be misleading as the reports were based on 422 cities in both North and South America.

July

Brantford has been named among the top 10 “American Cities of the Future” by fDi Magazine for a second consecutive edition of the rankings. Building on its 2011/12 ranking as one of the most cost competitive micro cities in the Americas, Brantford now ranks eighth in terms of overall business friendliness based on factors such as knowledge based industries, global 500 companies, job creation, foreign direct investment projects, corporate taxation and credit rating, as well as ease of doing business.

Three of the four largest job-creating FDI projects in Canada went to Nova Scotia in 2012 with major investments by IBM, Admiral Insurance, and Stream," said Dr. Henry Loewendahl, VP North America, representing fDi Intelligence, Financial Times Ltd

fDi’s 2013/14 Cities of the Future includes those three locales (in a category of cities with at least 750,000 people and metros of 4 million and up) as top major U.S. Cities of the Future, a list that also includes Chicago and Miami. Portland, Charlotte and San Jose topped the list of large U.S. cities (populations of at least 500,000 and metros of 1 million or more.)

June

Last year South Africa invested in more new FDI projects in Africa than any other country in the world, and the number of projects from the country has increased by almost 536% in the past decade, according to a 2013 report by fDi Intelligence, a company which provides insights into, and advice on, cross-border investment. Ernst & Young's 2013 Attractiveness Survey found that South Africa has created almost 46 000 cumulative jobs through foreign direct investment in Africa since 2003.

According to the most recent FDI report compiled by fDi Intelligence, the slow recovery in greenfield FDI in 2011 ground to a halt in 2012. With numbers reflecting the second biggest decline since the start of the world recession, all global regions experienced a decline. But FDI into Africa was dealt less of a blow than in other parts of the world. Between 2011 and 2012, the number of new projects in Africa was down by 12%, which was more moderate than the global decrease of 16%.

Global investment publication fDi Magazine included Wichita on its newly released list of “Americas Cities of the Future,” placing it at No. 10 among mid-sized cities in the category of “Economic Potential.” To compile its rankings list, the publication collected information using specialized, online, data-collection tools, as well as other sources. Information was collected for 422 cities under several criteria, including economic potential, infrastructure, business friendliness and other categories. Cities in North, Central and South America were included in the fDi Magazine rankings.

June

Dubai Airport Freezone has once again been awarded the title of the top Middle East Free Zone of the future 2013/14 by the Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine’s biannual Ranking. Dafza is recognised as a world leader in providing quality services and infrastructure to its tenants, attracting foreign investment to the region as well as strengthening its position as the fastest-growing business hub in the Middle East.

Dubai: Dubai Airport Freezone has once again been awarded the title of the top Middle East Free Zone of the future 2013/14 by the Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine’s biannual Ranking. Dafza is recognised as a world leader in providing quality services and infrastructure to its tenants, attracting foreign investment to the region as well as strengthening its position as the fastest-growing business hub in the Middle East.

The FT fDi magazine has written a fascinating report on Sheffield City Region, interveiwing key players in the region. Below is an extract written by fDi reporter Michal Kaczmarksi on the meteoric rise of the world class Advanced Manufacturing Park. For the full report please click here. In 1984, at a coking plant in Orgreave near Sheffield, headlines were made as miners and police clashed violently in what became known as the ‘Battle of Orgreave’.

Luke Mcgreevy, Executive Director fDi Magazine Office, Dubai said, "Free zones are key drivers of the world’s economic development, the strategic role they play in a nation is especially highlighted in an economic crisis, where companies seek revenue in neighbouring markets. Criteria for awards have been designed to ensure the winner provides the best services and facilities to its tenants and attracts future investments in the region."

Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director General of DAFZA said, "Dubai Airport Freezone was ranked first in the fDi's Global Free Zone Rankings in 2012 and we congratulated our tenants, stakeholders and employees. Our achievement this year comes as a result of forward planning, ongoing support and the encouragement of our leaders and strategic partners.

The Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA) has once again been awarded the title of the top Middle East Free Zone of the future 2013/14 by the Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine biannual ranking. This is the third time in sequence the DAFZA being named the fDi’s Middle East of the Future including the years 2011, 2012 and 2013. The DAFZA is recognised as a world leader in providing quality services and infrastructure to its tenants, attracting foreign investment to the region as well as strengthening its position as the fastest-growing business hub in the Middle East.

Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA) has once again been awarded the title of the top Middle East Free Zone of the future 2013/14 by the Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine biannual Ranking. This is the third time in sequence DAFZA to be named the fDi’s Middle East of the Future including the years 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Luke Mcgreevy, MENA Publisher of fDi Magazine in Dubai said, “Free zones have played an important role in the development of the Middle East and, in particular, the UAE. The judging criteria for fDi Magazine’s rankings are designed to recognise which freezones have not only shown exceptional growth but also those which also offer the best services, facilities and incentives for tenants. Dafza has proven its capability in attracting international companies throughout it 17 year history.

In 2012, Poland outpaced Russia to become the top destination for FDI projects in the CEE region and seventh in Europe overall, according to an Ernst & Young survey. Poland attracted 22.3 percent more FDI projects than it did the previous year, the report found. 10th June 2013 With 13,111 jobs created via FDI, up 67.3 percent year-on-year, Poland ranked third in terms of job creation for the whole of Europe last year (after the UK and Russia), up from seventh place in 2011.

Two Sonora cities have been recognized in a prestigious international publication as top 10 "small cities of the future" for their business climate. The port city of Guaymas came in at number 2 and Nogales at number 4 for cost effectiveness in the ranking by fDi Intelligence, which tracks foreign direct investment around the globe. For their ability to attract foreign investments - namely, in manufacturing - Guaymas and Nogales ranked ninth and 10th, respectively. The growth of Mexico's economy in recent years has been fueled by activity in Sonora and the growth of manufacturing jobs.

"I've mentioned to US investors that US companies have more capital invested in Ireland than they do in Brazil, Russia, India and China put together," said Richie Boucher, chief executive of Bank of Ireland. "We have had a record year of FDI (foreign direct investment) in 2012" - - in a count of projects, fDi Intelligence, a unit of The Financial Times, says not so -- see 2012 data above.

Policymakers should also take a cue from the 2013-report of fDi Intelligence – a FDI specific magazine of the Financial Times Group. The study - that looked at 46 countries around the world representing 80 percent of world’s GDP in 2011 that attracted 70 percent of FDI projects between 2010 and 2012 – showed that FDI inflow per GDP has a strong positive relationship with lower corporate tax rate. The strong relationship between tax and FDI has also been found both at country and at the city level.

São Paulo – Qatari foreign direct investment (FDI) was down in 2012 from 2011. Conversely, FDI outflows from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates increased, as did those from the Middle East & Africa, according to a survey released this week by the Financial Times’ research division, fDi Intelligence.

The outward foreign direct investments (FDI) from Qatar fell 29%; while those from the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region grew 9% in 2012, according to fDi Report 2013. "Qatar saw a decrease in outward FDI in 2012, with FDI projects overseas falling from 38 in 2011 to 27 in 2012," said fDi Intelligence, a specialist division of the Financial Times.

New evidence of the strong link between corporate tax rates and cross-border investment has emerged in the fDi Report 2013, an annual assessment of cross-border investment based on the fDi Markets database from the Financial Times. The 2013 edition of the fDi Report shows that multinational enterprises minimise their tax burden through overseas operations, and analyses how this relationship impacts on foreign direct investment (FDI).

fDi magazine ranked Pasadena number four overall in its small city category, with the city's growing economy helping it earn its spot on the list. The magazine compared Pasadena to 422 others across North and South America and it was the only Texas city to place in the top ten in any category. Pasadena was also recognized for its infrastructure.

Governor Scott led trade and business development missions to Panama, Canada, Brazil, Israel, Spain, United Kingdom and Colombia. The Governor’s active and innovative approach to promoting international business last year won him an award as the top U.S. governor for foreign direct investment (FDI) strategy from London-based fDi Magazine.

We’re about a decade into these efforts to improve our economic climate. And I think the results speak for themselves. Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine recently awarded Texas the 2012 Governor’s Award for being the most successful state in the nation in attracting foreign investment. And that publication is far alone in its praise for the Lone Star state.

Among those speaking at the event were Jackie Sadek, chief executive of UK Regeneration, the company behind the project to build 300 homes on the site of the former DRI, in London Road. Also delivering presentations were Courtney Fingar, editor-in-chief of the Financial Times’ fDi Magazine; inward investment expert Adam Breeze and city council chief executive Adam Wilkinson.

LOWER CORPORATE TAX rates increases the amount of foreign investment into a country, a report by fDi Magazine, from the Financial Times, has found. Although a country's GDP is the biggest determining factor in attracting inward investment, the sample of 46 countries found that corporate tax rates also correlated with inward investment.

Albuquerque has been ranked the 9th best midsized American city of the future for 2013/2014 by fDi Intelligence. The study ranked cities in the Western hemisphere according to their economic potential, human resources, cost effectiveness, infrastructure, business friendliness and foreign direct investment strategy. Mayor Richard Berry said the ranking was good news for Albuquerque.

Albuquerque is on another top ten list and unlike some, this is one you want your town to be on. Top Ten Mid-sized American Cities of the Future, a grand sounding title. The list is the product of analysts from Foreign Direct Intelligence (fDi), with an international list of business and banking clients. Albuquerque is ranked ninth not too shabby for a city that’s still struggling to recover from the recession.

Virginia Beach ranked fifth overall in fDi magazine's "Top 10 Mid-Sized American Cities of the Future." The city ranked ninth for economic potential and fifth for infrastructure, which includes factors like airports, download speed, ports and cargo volume, according to the results. The fDi research team collected data from 422 cities in North, Central and South America.

For those who may not have noticed, today, Fort Lauderdale is a city on the rise. The community boasts an enviable unemployment rate of 5.7%, has seen 40 consecutive months of tourism growth, is nationally known for low taxes and a high quality of life, and was recently named among the “Top 10 Small American Cities of the Future” by fDi magazine.

According to the press release, "Pasadena has been declared a City of the Future in the American Cities of the Future 2013-14 ranking by fDi Magazine from the Financial Times. This year, Pasadena again earned recognition in the infrastructure category but, for the first time, also placed fourth overall in the small city category. Pasadena was judged against 422 cities across North and South America from data collected by fDi Magazine.

Pasadena was judged against 422 cities across North and South America from data collected by fDi Magazine. The city was in the Small Cities category, which includes cities with a population base between 100,000 - 350,000. We should also mention that Houston took top honors in the overall category among major American cities.

“This new ranking by fDi Magazineserves as an international recognition that the City of Fort Lauderdale is continuing to move forward on the right track,” said Mayor Jack Seiler. “The City’s sound fiscal management, progressive economic development initiatives, and long-term infrastructure investment strategies have created a high level of optimism that is triggering billions of dollars in private and public investment.”

fDi magazine ranked Pasadena number four overall in its small city category, with the city's growing economy helping it earn its spot on the list. The magazine compared Pasadena to 422 others across North and South America and it was the only Texas city to place in the top ten in any category. Pasadena was also recognized for its infrastructure.

Fort Lauderdale has been ranked No. 7 for economic potential on a list of the Top 10 Small American Cities of the Future, according to fDi Magazine. The foreign direct investment magazine ranked cities by collecting data on economic potential, human resources, cost effectiveness, infrastructure, business friendliness and FDI strategy for 422 cities.

Dr. Hassan Abdullah Fakhroo added that Bahrain attained advanced levels in the lists of international rating related to the free zones, where the poll carried out by the Foreign Direct Investment Magazine placed Bahrain International Investment (biip) with the rank 15, and Khalifa Bin Salman Port (ranked 16), and Bahrain International Airport (ranked 19). The Magazine also granted Bahrain Logistics Zone with the rank 30, which stresses the progress Bahrain enjoys on the global economic level.

For the second year running, New York City is the number one city in the Americas for foreign direct investment, according to fDi Magazine's American Cities of the Future 2013/14 ranking. The city remains one of the world’s top destinations for investors, attracting 1.08 percent of global FDI. According to the ranking, the total number of FDI projects in New York increased by 10.4 percent over the past year.

fDi Intelligence, a division of The Financial Times focused on foreign direct investment (FDI), included Cali and Barranquilla , Colombia in its 2013/14 list of top 10 “major American cities of the future” for FDI strategy. The two Colombian cities are listed among other prominent cities in the Americas, including Toronto, Canada; Chicago, Illinois; and Buenos Aires, Argentina, among others.

An offshoot of the Financial Times of London, fDi Intelligence, in fact has found that B.C.’s cities ‘“ from Vancouver to smaller centres like Abbotsford and Kamloops ‘“ rank among the best jurisdictions in the Americas to attract foreign direct investment. Some of the factors contributing to the high ranking include an open and affluent economy, a sound financial system, relatively low corporate taxes and business friendliness.

Plattsburgh's economy is more international than most people realize. Fortunately, "most people" does not include the editors of fDi Magazine (Foreign Direct Investment, online at www.fdiintelligence.com). The magazine, a publication of The Financial Times of London, recently named Plattsburgh #4 on its 2013-2014 list of Micro American Cities for economic potential. The rankings are selected from all North and South American cities with populations under 100,000.

Virginia Beach ranked fifth overall in fDi magazine’s “Top 10 Mid-Sized American Cities of the Future." The city ranked ninth for economic potential and fifth for infrastructure, which includes factors like airports, download speed, ports and cargo volume, according to the results. The fDi research team collected data from 422 cities in North, Central and South America. Cities in the mid-sized category have a population of more than 200,000 plus a metropolitan area of more than 750,000.

April

29th April 2013

Dubai was named the overall leading investment destination in the ‘Middle East Cities of the Future 2012-2013’ report of the fDi Magazine and was also rated first in the categories of Economic potential, Infrastructure, Business friendliness and Strategy. Al Gergawi argued that services expanding their profile in Dubai underlined the emirate’s efforts to evolve into a knowledge economy serving the region and beyond.

27th April 2013

He said fDi has a global readership of 15,000 executives and the publication of its annual rankings attracts media exposure. “Getting on that list assists us in raising our brand awareness throughout the world,” he said, identifying the city as a place where other companies specializing in digital media will find “an environment that is open to collaboration and innovation.”

April

25th April 2013

New Orleans and Lafayette rank among America's top cities of the future, according to a new study published by Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine. The 2013-14 American Cities of the Future report ranks the two Louisiana cities among the best of their size for attracting overseas investment. New Orleans ranked No. 6 overall in the Top 10 Mid-Sized American Cities of the Future list and No. 4 in economic potential for Top 10 Mid-Sized American Cities. Only Virginia Beach, Va., ranked higher among U.S. cities at No. 5, with Canadian cities claiming the top four spots.

New Orleans and Lafayette rank among America's top cities of the future, according to a new study published by Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine. The 2013-14 American Cities of the Future report ranks the two Louisiana cities among the best of their size for attracting overseas investment. New Orleans ranked No. 6 overall in the Top 10 Mid-Sized American Cities of the Future list and No. 4 in economic potential for Top 10 Mid-Sized American Cities.

Brampton has ranked in the top 10 mid-sized American Cities of the Future for foreign direct investment in an analysis by fDi Intelligence. Brampton came second as a Business Friendly City and eighth in Infrastructure (Americas) and City of the Future in the Americas (north, south, central) categories. Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell said that’s an indication the city’s economic development focus on attracting global investment is well-placed.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has received the Middle East City of the Future award, as awarded by fDi Magazine, to Dubai which retained the title for the third year in a row and remains by far the top destination in the Middle East for investors thanks to its business-friendly environment, infrastructure and high competitiveness.

Foreign Direct Investment magazine, a publication of the Financial Times of London, releases global rankings every two years predicting the leading economic cities across the globe. Data points include population forecasts, foreign investment, new projects and jobs, infrastructure, logistics and other benchmarks. For the Americas, 422 cities were assessed in five categories. The cities were further delineated by population as major, large, mid-sized, small and micro.

Lafayette ranked No. 7 overall among Top 10 Small American Cities of the Future and No. 1 among small American cities in the category of fDi Strategy, a ranking based on a city’s current strategy for foreign direct investment promotion. The magazine’s editors lauded Lafayette’s “Innovation with an accent” branding as a key part of that strategy.

22nd April 2013

The future is now for the Wooster/Wayne County micropolitan as it scored another feather in its economic development cap, this one by an international publication. This is the second time Wooster has been recognized by fDi Magazine's American Cities of the Future ranking. However, it made the list this time for different reasons, Wayne Economic Development Council President Rod Crider said.

At the beginning of April, the London newspaper The Financial Times, one of the most prestigious media in economics in the world, defined the "American Cities of the Future 2013-2014" study, carried out by its fDi Intelligence division, a specialized publication that situates Mazatlan in the number one position in Mexico and fifth in Latin America as the medium sized city with the greatest economic expectation and profitability in "cost effectiveness".

Greater Montréal has been awarded the prize for “Best Major American City for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy” in fDi Magazine’s American Cities of the Future 2013/14 rankings. It beat all the other 126 major cities across the Americas that competed in this category.

London received high marks in the Financial Times UK fDi Magazine analysis of the 2013-14 results for American “cities of the future.” London ranked second overall against 80 of our mid-sized cities as well as finishing in the top 10 in the categories of business friendliness, foreign direct investment strategy and economic potential.

19th April 2013

The report is an annual in-depth analysis on inflow of foreign direct investment worldwide by the fDi Intelligence team of the UK-based newspaper The Financial Times. "The excellent performance of Bangladesh indicates the global shift taking place with a re-allocation of efficiency- seeking FDI away from China and other emerging markets and towards frontier markets such as Bangladesh with their vast untapped labour pools, low costs and market opportunities," the report noted.

The City of St. Catharines’ plan to attract more investment is among the top 10 in North and South America for cities of its size, according to the latest American Cities of the Future rankings by fDi Magazine. St. Catharines placed seventh in the category of Small American Cities of the Future (cities with a population between 100,000 and 350,000) for best foreign direct investment strategy.

But a South American competitor is nipping closely at its heels. For the first time in fDi Magazine’s bi-annual rankings, the Brazilian city of São Paulo has not only entered the top 10 but it ranked second overall. São Paulo consolidates its position as a key player in the global FDI arena (it reached sixth place worldwide in 2012) and also manages to snatch the top position in economic potential from New York (which won the 2011/12 rankings),

The latest edition of 'The fDi Report' has a special focus on the BRIC economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. fDi says that in recent years these countries have attracted more than 22% of global FDI projects, however, their share declined in 2012 to 17.6%. FDI into China, India and Russia peaked in 2008 and has not recovered since. FDI into Brazil, after a record high in 2011, experienced a decline in 2012.

18th April 2013

From the analysis of this study that the fDi Intelligence obtained by analyzing 442 cities in the Continent, where also many aspects such as economic potential, human resources, costs efficiency, infrastructure, a natural knack for business and foreign direct investment strategies is that the lists validate their results.

Her are some of the other news releases from other cities similarly "ranked.":"fDi Magazine released their American Cities of the Future issue yesterday, naming Fredericton (British Colombia) to its Top Ten list in four Micro City categories: first in the overall rankings; fourth for the Best Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy; fifth for Business Friendliness; and, sixth for Economic Potential.

Brownsville has been ranked among “Cities of the Future” for 2013-14 by fDi Intelligence, a publication of the London-based Financial Times that focuses on globalization trends. Brownsville made the list for its “foreign direct investment” strategy, which fDi ranked eighth among the best for small cities in North America. The ranking was published in the online magazine fDiIntelligence.com.

17th April 2013

Despite a 16% global decline in FDI in 2012, New York has remained the top destination for FDI into the Americas and was named fDi Magazine's American City of the Future 2013/14. São Paulo followed closely in second and Toronto in third. The Big Apple showed its mettle by winning the rankings despite both economic (Wall Street bail out) and natural (Hurricane Sandy) disasters, remaining one of the world's top destinations for investors and attracting 1.08% of global FDI.

Greater Montréal has been awarded the prize for "Best Major American City for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy" in fDi Magazine's American Cities of the Future 2013/14 rankings. It beat all the other 126 major cities across the Americas that competed in this category. The metropolitan Montréal region's entry was submitted by economic development agency Montréal International (MI), which acts as an agent with the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal

16th April 2013

Canada is a welcoming destination for foreign investors, according to the annual Cities of the Future lists published by fDi Magazine. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary are among the Top 10 Overall North American Cities of the Future. Toronto is No. 2 behind New York City and is followed by Montreal and Vancouver. Calgary is No. 10. On the list of Overall Large American Cities of the Future, Vancouver and Calgary take the top two spots while Ottawa and Edmonton rank fourth and fifth respectively.

Greater Montréal has been awarded the prize for "Best Major AmericanCity for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy" in fDi Magazine's American Cities of the Future 2013/14 rankings. It beat all the other 126 major cities across the Americas that competed in this category. The metropolitan Montréal region's entry was submitted by economic development agency Montréal International (MI), which acts as an agent with the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM - Montréal Metropolitan Community) for attracting foreign direct investment to Greater Montréal.

15th April 2013

The City of Richmond has been named as the 10th Best Mid-sized American City of the Future by Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine. This is the second time the city of Richmond has received an award distinction from fDi. The city was named as the Best Small American City of the Future in 2011; however the city was moved to the mid-sized city category for the 2013-2014 report as fDi instituted new population category parameters.

Virginia Beach and Richmond both scored in the Top 10 of Foreign Direct Investment magazine’s ranking of “best mid-sized American cities” for attracting foreign investment. By “American” cities, the magazine refers to cities in both North and South America. Canadian cities totally pwned the mid-sized city rankings, with London, Hamilton, Quebec City, Surrey and Brampton all seizing spots in the top 10.

Brampton has ranked in the top 10 mid-sized American Cities of the Future for foreign direct investment in an analysis by fDi Intelligence.Brampton came second as a Business Friendly City and eighth in Infrastructure (Americas) and City of the Future in the Americas (north, south, central) categories.

Brampton has emerged as a winner and is among the Top 10 Mid-Sized American Cities of the Future 2013/14 as ranked by fDi Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times (UK). Brampton has come in second as Business Friendly City and eighth in the Infrastructure (Americas) and City of the Future in the Americas (North, South, Central) categories.

12th April 2013

The city of Lafayette has also been named one of the top small American cities of the future. The Hub City ranked seventh on the overall list among cities from California, Texas, New Jersey, and Canada by The Foreign Direct Investment, a London based magazine. Lafayette also topped the list for FDI strategy for small cities with populations between 100,000 and 350,000.

Lafayette was named one of the top 10 Small American Cities of the Future by Foreign Direct Investment (fDi), a London-based magazine. Lafayette also topped the list for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy for small cities with populations between 100,000 and 350,000. This bi-annual list recognizes international cities across North and South America.

Uncertainty characterises the current global economic climate. With a 16% decline in FDI in 2012, investment agencies are facing greater competition to attract fDi projects. Yet New York has remained a top global destination for FDI, and was named as fDi Magazine’s American Cities of the Future 2013/14, with São Paulo coming in second and Toronto in third.

The City of Lafayette was named one of the top 10 Small American Cities of the Future by Foreign Direct Investment (fDi), a London-based magazine. Lafayette also topped the list for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy for small cities with populations between 100,000 and 350,000. This bi-annual list recognizes international cities across North and South America.

fDi Magazine, from the Financial Times, compiled research and created shortlists from over 400 cities in North and South America. This collection of data includes five categories: Economic Potential, Human Resources, Cost Effectiveness, Infrastructure and Business Friendliness. A sixth category, FDI Strategy, was judged and scored by an independent panel based on over 100 city submissions.

11th April 2013

Brampton has emerged as a winner and is among the Top 10 Mid-Sized American Cities of the Future 2013/14 as ranked by fDi Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times (UK). Brampton has come in second as Business Friendly City and eighth in the Infrastructure (Americas) and City of the Future in the Americas (North, South, Central) categories.

South Carolina and Gov. Haley have also received high ratings for recruiting foreign direct investment (FDI), with fDi Magazine naming her among the top ten Governors in the nation. IBM's 2012 Global Location Trends report ranked South Carolina tops in the nation for jobs through foreign investment during 2011, while Area Development named South Carolina a 2012 Gold Shovel Award winner in recognition of economic development projects undertaken in 2011.

Nicaragua's capital Managua made the third position in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy category of American Cities of the Future 2013/14 ranking, published by fDi Intelligence, a division of The Financial Times. Managua was only outranked by Montreal and Toronto, meaning that as a country, Nicaragua placed 2nd only after Canada.

9 April 2013

Finally, Quebec ranked second in the category "Best fDi Strategy" which recognizes the best strategies for promoting and attracting foreign investment. It takes into account the initiatives to promote the benefits offered by a city to investors. It also considers the incentives offered to investors and the presence of infrastructure and major development projects, as well as the overall vision to harness the full potential of attraction of a city.

A plant of the German-based automotive company Draexlmaier, which is being built in Kavadarci FYR Macedonia, is named the best production facility by fDi Inteligence - a specialized edition of The Financial Times on all spheres connected with foreign direct investments and their promotion around the globe. The production facility in (FYR) Macedonia is named the best within the frameworks of the annual edition 'fDi Top Projects of the Year 2012 – Investment That Broke Ground'.

The fDi organization specializes in research and promotion of foreign direct investment - which could include purchasing companies in other countries, and investing directly in foreign businesses rather than passive investment such as purchasing shares of a publicly traded company.

8 April 2013

Windsor-Essex County, Ontario, Canada, April 8, 2013 – The Windsor-Essex region has won second place for Best FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) Strategy for Small American Cities of the Future in 2013/2014. A bimonthly publication, fDi Magazine is part of the fDi Intelligence division of The Financial Times Ltd, a dedicated unit specializing in all areas relating to foreign direct investment.

Cities are judged by a panel examining expert opinion and independent data. fDi is a division of Financial Times Ltd., providing leading industry insight on globalisation and foreign direct investments intelligence.

The fDi (foreign direct investment) "Cities of the Future" ranking shortlists over 400 cities across North and South America of different sizes in different categories. Categories include "Quality of Life," "Business Friendliness," "Cost Effectiveness," " Infrastructure," "Human Resources," "FDI Promotion Strategy" and "Economic Potential," each ranked for various sizes of cities.

Windsor-Essex ranks second in the latest Small American Cities of the Future awards for 2013. Gauging how North American cities promote themselves to potential foreign investors, Windsor-Essex only lost out to Lafayette, La., in the category of best foreign direct investment strategy in the contest by fDi Magazine, a publication of The Financial Times.

From the over 400 cities evaluated, Richmond placed 3rd overall among small cities in the Americas - a category that represents a combination of foreign direct investment criteria. Best Business Friendliness and Best fDi Promotion Strategy were the other two individual categories in which Richmond placed in the top 10.

Cities including Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond, Victoria, Delta, Kamloops and others earned top-10 rankings in various “Cities of the Future” categories developed by fDi Intelligence, an offshoot of the Financial Times. The Times has a bigger reach into the global financial community than either the Wall Street Journal or The Economist.

"Being recognized by fDi Magazine as one of the most competitive and business friendly jurisdictions of its size in the Americas for a second year in a row is an accomplishment we're very proud of," said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. "We continue to work with the business community to develop and grow our strategic sectors that benefit from our city's location, economic, natural and human assets.

March

29 March 2013

Chengdu was the only interior Chinese city that appeared in the 2011 and 2012 annual Top 10 Best Foreign Investment Strategy Cities in Asia and the Pacific Region published by fDi, the news and foreign direct investment publication owned by The Financial Times.

The award of this title on behalf of the kingdom was under the fDi Intelligence Agency Moroccan Investment Development (AMDI). This ranking was made by a jury of industry professionals worldwide, consisting of 7 experts and consultants representing several firms specialising in digital marketing, in addition to fDi Intelligence Analysts and the Financial Times.

26 March 2013

"Polaris International Industrial Parks" was honored In Financial Times fDi Magazine. The magazine ranked Polaris International Industrial Park No. 45 in their "Global Free Zones of the Future" Report 2012/2013. fDi is the world's premier publication for the business of globalization and a prime division of The Financial Times Ltd, specializing in all areas relating to foreign direct investment and investment promotion.

Barbara Njau, you are Senior Reporter and Markets Editor of ‘Foreign Direct Investment’ (fDi) Magazine. What does your job entail? "fDi magazine is part of The Financial Times Ltd. It is a specialist title. I report on cross border greenfield investment trends and global foreign direct investment flows into markets in Africa, Asia and the Middle East"

20 March 2013

"We are the closest Australian state capital city on the eastern seaboard to Asia and were recently named one of the Top 10 Asian Cities of the Future by the London Financial Times fDi Magazine. "Brisbane was chosen to host the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit and we are headquarters to more than 170 of the world's leading mining and energy companies.

“Like Hong Kong, Brisbane is a new world city,” he said. “We are the closest Australian state capital city on the eastern seaboard to Asia and were recently named one of the Top 10 Asian Cities of the Future by the London Financial Times fDi Magazine. “Brisbane was chosen to host the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit and we are headquarters to more than 170 of the world’s leading mining and energy companies.

19 March 2013

The six available areas are a unique opportunity for local businesses already in the region and first-in-class organisations looking to expand their operations into the area, from the UK and abroad. The region’s story is strengthened further by Bristol being named a “super-city” and recently ranked the leading small European city of the future by fDi Magazine.

15 March 2013

The Clark Airport has been recognized as one of the Top Three Best Airport Zones in the world by the London-based fDi Magazine of the Financial Times Group.The airport placed third in the fDi Magazine survey where Morroco's Tangiers Free Zone came in second and Dubai Airport Free Zone at number one.

12 March 2013

In 2012, DAFZA was name Number One Free Zone in the World by Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine, moving up from second place in 2011. Previous accolades with fDi include number one Middle East free zone of the Future and number one free zone in the UAE and in the Middle East, in its 2011/12 rankings.

11 March 2013

Brown currently serves on the national board of The Trust for Public Land, the Student Conservation Association and the Alaska Native Heritage Center. She also serves on advisory boards for Alaska Airlines and the University of Alaska Anchorage Honors College. Brown is a 1992 YWCA Woman of Achievement recipient, a 2008 fDi Magazine business personality of the year, a 2009 Alaska Business Hall of Fame laureate and the 2012 Athena Award recipient.

8 March 2013

In its ‘Overall Economic Zones of the Future 2011/12’ survey, fDi Magazine ranked BIIP the best investment park in the entire Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for its FDI promotion strategies; second-best for the incentives it offers investors, and the fourth-best park in the region for its transport links: BIIP sits adjacent to the highway which links the kingdom’s largest and newest port directly to Saudi Arabia, the region’s biggest economy.

February

25 February 2013

DAFZA's commitment to quality is recognized by worldwide ISO certificates for Quality, Environment, Health & Safety and Information Security Management System, as well as Complaints Handling System. In 2010, DAFZA won the Dubai Quality Appreciation Programme award in the service category and in 2012 it was named Best free zone in the world by fDi.

21 February 2013

Despite the incentive to establish businesses outside the capital, a survey entitled “European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/2013” by fDi Intelligence (The Financial Times), Warsaw came fourth in a survey of major European cities with ‘Best Business Friendliness’ (sic). London, Moscow and Brussels took first, second and third spots on the podium respectively.

Governor Rick Scott today congratulated the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast, the City of Titusville, and their partner organizations for their recent selection as Project of the Year 2012 by fDi Magazine for bringing Rocket Crafters to Florida. Governor Scott said, “Florida’s economy continues to grow..."

18 February 2013

As Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh is a magnet for employers and influencers. Take a look at some of the companies that have recently decided to INVEST in Edinburgh. Edinburgh has recently been crowned Best Large City of the Future for fDi and Best Large City for fDi Strategy by the Financial Times fDi Magazine 2012/13.

13 February 2013

Sutherland Global Services (SGS) investment in Jamaica's Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector has been recognised by London-based fDi Magazine as one of the top foreign direct investment (FDI) projects of 2012, an honour that has earned it a joint runner-up award in the ‘Best Outsourcing Project’ global category.

January

21 January 2013

The Foreign Direct Investment Magazine, an edition of the globally recognized Financial Times, has published articles about the 7th Belarusian Investment Forum that took place in Minsk in November 2012, BelTA has learned. The articles have been written by Ms Courtney Fingar, an editor of the fDi Magazine, who took part in the investment forum and moderated its plenary session.

7 February 2013

The World Bank has said governments in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region are not doing enough to attract foreign investors, compounding the economic problems facing several countries in the wake of the Arab Spring, Muscat Daily has reported. According to a study by the global financial institution, 16 of the 19 national investment agencies in the region failed to respond to inquiries from prospective investors.

4 January 2013

"Pittsburgh's focus on technological and biotech innovation, combined with an invironment that encourages entrepreneurship, has tunred its fortunes full circle." From the Imagine Pittsburgh blog, follow the link to "Pittsburgh's Progress: Rust Belt City Reinvents Itself" fDi report to learn how Innovation Works, Knopp, 4Moms, Deeplocal and others have played a part in Pittsburgh’s transformation into a Tech Hub.

December

JEDDAH – The Financial Times Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Research Unit, said that a total of 19 Arab cities, including 5 Saudi cities, 2 Bahraini cities and one each in Qatar, Lebanon, and Jordan were included in its “fDi Cities of the Future List” for 2012/2013.

Dubai ranked first followed by Abu Dhabi as a preferred investment destination, in most survey aspects, notably the immense financial and infrastructural potential both emirates enjoy, making them a suitable, if not a perfect, business environment, according to a study by Financial Times’ Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Research Unit.

30 December 2012

Abu Dhabi and Dubai have headed the Arab Region's "Cities of the Future " list for 2012/2013. Financial Times Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Research Unit, in its findings revealed that Dubai ranked first followed by Abu Dhabi as a preferred investment destination, in most survey aspects, notably the immense financial and infrastructural potential both emirates enjoy, making them a suitable, if not a perfect, business environment.

24 December 2012

Re-emphasising its role in the changed digital environment and business landscape, the RAK FTZ made itself proud by winning the top Economic Zone in the World award for Digital Marketing, conferred by fDi Intelligence and Magazine. RAK FTZ is the only economic zone in the entire MENA region to be honoured with the award.

19 December 2012

Nova Scotia Business Inc.'s (NSBI) effective use of digital marketing to attract investment to the province from around the world is also attracting an international award of excellence. NSBI has been recognized for its work by U.K.-based fDi Magazine, a publication from The Financial Times Ltd.

14 December 2012

Bangladesh is one of the top five recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2012, according to the recent report of the fDi Intelligence, which monitors global inflow of FDI regularly, reports BSS. The report, published last week, placed Bangladesh in the third position after African state Angola and East European country Macedonia when Eurasian state Armenia and northern European country Lithuania ranked the fourth and the fifth in the list.

13 December 2012

The London Economic Development Corporation is a world leader, according to fDi Magazine. fDi is a division of the Financial Times, an international publication focused on cross-border investment. LEDC ranked in three categories in the magazine’s first global digital marketing awards.

When cumulative investments in the country's southern-most development corridor passed the RM95 billion mark in the first half of the year, Iskandar Regional Development Authority chief executive officer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim set the year-end target at RM100 billion. This milestone has been achieved with a month to spare, and with an extra RM5 billion. This more than validates the accolade that Iskandar Malaysia has received from fDi Magazine.

12 December 2012

Three of the top five governors rated by fDi Magazine for their efforts to encourage job creation and direct foreign investment hail from the South. The magazine, a publication of London-based Financial Times, ranks Rick Perry of Texas at the top. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley ranked No. 3 and Gov. Rick Scott of Florida is No. 4.

The London Economic Development Corp. was ranked among the world leaders in fDi Magazine’s inaugural digital marketing awards. In the category of best use of social media, the LEDC was ranked fourth internationally, as well as sixth for top city digital marketing. The London group finished 19th on the list of top websites.

10 December 2012

Poland was ranked third in terms of foreign direct investments in service centers and the number of created jobs in 2010-2011, according to the FDI Markets ranking of Financial Times. Poland was only beaten by India and Malaysia.

7 December 2012

fDi's first ever awards for digital marketing excellence with IDA capturing first prize. IDA Ireland wins overall Digital Marketing Strategy Award. IDA Ireland was also successful in other categories, including being voted No. 1 website globally; the most innovative of any type of Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) and the best country level IPA for digital marketing.

5 December 2012

In the first half of 2012 the number of foreign direct investment projects initiated globally dropped by 23 percent. Poland however was an exception to the trend, seeing FDI grow, attracting 155 projects worth a total of $823 million and creating 5,100 jobs, according to a report prepared by fDi Intelligence for the Financial Times Group.

4 December 2012

South Carolina and Gov. Nikki Haley received high ratings for attracting foreign direct investment in fDi magazine’s inaugural Governor’s Awards, her office said Monday. Haley was ranked third in the nation in overall rankings and fifth for best strategy by the magazine’s judging panel. South Carolina was ranked sixth among states for its recruitment of foreign direct investment.

3 December 2012

S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley is being recognized for bringing foreign investors to the state. fDi Magazine placed her among the country's top governors for recruitment. The state placed sixth for foreign direct investment. The magazine said foreign companies have invested more than $40 billion and 160,000 jobs in South Carolina.

November

28 November 2012

In the first half of 2012, the number of foreign investment projects dropped by 23 percent worldwide. Poland was an exception to the trend, seeing FDI grow, attracting 155 projects worth a total of $823 million and creating 5,100 jobs, according to a report prepared by fDi Intelligence for the Financial Times Group.

26 November 2012

Kenya has been ranked among the top destinations for foreign direct investments in Middle East and Africa, thanks to the ongoing investments in infrastructure. The latest study by fDi Intelligence, a research arm of the London based Financial Timesnewspaper, ranks Kenya sixth in the Middle East and Africa, and third in Africa after South Africa and Morocco.

fDi Intelligence, the Financial Times subsidiary published its global FDI rankings for 2011 . It noted that 2011 was a difficult year with climatic disturbances in some regions and political and economic instability in others. America received the most FDI and the renewable energy sector was the largest source of FDI. In the Middle East Africa The number of FDI projects in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region grew by 16% in 2011.

9 November 2012

Robust industrial climate, rich talent bring foreign companies in droves to Chengdu. It is currently the only inland Chinese city that appears in the 2011 and 2012 "Annual Top 10 Best Foreign Investment Strategy Cities in Asia and the Pacific Region" list published by fDi Magazine published by the UK-based Financial Times.

October

22 October 2012

fDi (Foreign Direct Investment) Magazine has highlighted Edinburgh as a key city for the future, noting its strengths in banking, insurance, renewable energy, education, tourism and life sciences and biotechnology.

17 October 2012

Edinburgh has been chosen as City of the Future for 2012/13. The video relates that one-quarter of all Edinburgh residents have a university degree and talks to the CEO of Skyscanner about their growth in the city. It also lauds the ‘rich and vibrant society’ in the city, and the air connections across Europe and beyond. This video has been produced by a spin off from the Financial Times.

3 October 2012

The IEDC is holding its annual meeting in Houston, and the group used the day before the first presidential debate to hear from Governor 'Ooops, I Forgot The Other One' talk about the state of the state’s economy, which he said created more jobs in September than any other state, according to fDi Intelligence.

September

28 September 2012

Sheffield City Region’s Local Enterprise Partnership has been named one of the top five in the country when it comes to its plans for attracting foreign direct investment. But the LEP faces an uphill battle in overcoming the region’s deficiencies as a location for foreign investment, according to the specialist publication fDi Magazine.

That flowering of business comes despite apparent misgivings among some investors. A recent edition of fDi Intelligence magazine entitled "Belarus Beckons" noted: "The political picture is, to put it mildly, not to Anglo-Saxon tastes: president Alexander Lukashenko has a firm grip on all levers and political freedom is limited."

7 September 2012

Iskandar Malaysia boosted its competitive edge as the best choice for investment destination with the recognition as the fourth Global Free Zone Of the Future 2012/2013 by fDi Magazine of Financial Times Ltd. Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive offficer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said the recognition would definitely help "bookmark" Iskandar Malaysia in the minds of the businessmen, corporate leaders and policymakers.

Costa Rica has had great success in attracting corporate foreign direct investment. This country’s well-oiled FDI promotion machine is so successful that the Financial Times Group’s fDi Intelligence Unit named Costa Rica the “Best Country of the Future for Foreign Direct Investment in Central America and the Caribbean” in its “FDI Countries of the Future” report for 2011-2012.

Iskandar Malaysia boosted its competitive edge as the best choice for investment destination with the recognition as the fourth Global Free Zone Of the Future 2012/2013 by fDi Magazine of Financial Times Ltd. Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive officer, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, said the recognition would definitely help 'bookmark' Iskandar Malaysia in the minds of the businessmen, corporate leaders and policymakers.

August

24 August 2012

An in depth report by a team of Financial Times investment analysts and experts has compared all 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships and declared the West of England is the best. The Financial Times fDi Magazine tasked the team to assess the performance of the UK’s local enterprise partnerships since they replaced the regional development agencies. The results were mixed, with a general feeling that the LEPs still have a lot to learn.

Gov. Rick Scott’s six foreign trade missions since taking office last year, including the Enterprise Florida junket to London earlier this summer, may have helped score Florida some good overseas ink. fDi Intelligence magazine, a division of The Financial Times Ltd., praised Scott for his drive to improve the business culture in the Sunshine State.

Dahej Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has figured among the top 50 Global Free Zones of the Future in a study conducted by fDi Magazine that has surveyed 600 free zones across 120 countries. Dahej is the only Indian free zone included in the list.

20 August 2012

Texas’ pro-business approach continues to receive national accolades, and fDi Magazine is the latest organization to take notice by awarding Gov. Rick Perry with its inaugural Governor’s Award 2012. Editors attribute Perry’s win to his business-friendly approach of running the state, which has helped Texas create more than 550,000 new jobs between July 2009 and July 2012, and his goal to make Texas the most pro-investment state in the U.S.

7 August 2012

Northern Ireland continues to perform strongly when it comes to attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The fDi Intelligence report confirms Northern Ireland's ability to attract high value FDI, with just over 44% of the projects attracted between 2006 and 2010 falling into the 'Very High' value category , higher than the UK, and just marginally behind ROI.

5 August 2012

fDi Magazine of the UK-based Financial Times Group picked the Clark International Airport as one of the best airports in a Freeport zone setting. Now one of the busiest airports in the country today, the Clark airport which is expected to register over a million passengers for this year, bested 56 other free zones that submitted many aspects of their operations.

2 August 2012

Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) vice chairman Rene Romero urged the administration of President Benigno Aquino III to start the full development of the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) after it was named by London-based Financial Times Business Group as third best among airport zones in the world.

July

31 July 2012

fDi Magazine, a bi-monthly news and foreign direct investment publication, recently published its "Global Free Zones of the Future 2012/13" report. In the magazine's report, Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), which runs the airport, was named the third best freeport airport in the world.

30 July 2012

Malacañang on Monday welcomed the inclusion of Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC), and its airport and free port among the world’s best, based on the assessment of the London-based Financial Times Business Group. The Philippine News Agency (PNA) recently reported that the Financial Times Group, publisher of fDi magazine, deemed CIAC as the fifth best airport zone in the world, Clark Airport third best, and Clark Freeport ranked eighth.

27 July 2012

Clark Freeport Zone and Clark International Airport ranked 8th and 3rd best freeport zone and airport, respectively, in the world by the London-based Financial Times Business Group, which is also the publisher of the Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine.

26 July 2012

On the same day as GDP was shrinking, another popular abbreviation was being bandied about by the bods at Stormont. The Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI) revealed the results of an independent survey carried out by a unit of The Financial Times, no less, on foreign direct investment (FDI).

23 July 2012

A reduction in the rate of corporation tax in Northern Ireland could create an extra 2,800 foreign direct investment jobs annually - a doubling of the current forecast - according to a new report. fDi Intelligence, a research firm run by the FT, was commissioned by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to assess the quality of foreign direct investment into Northern Ireland and to help inform future FDI policy.

16 July 2012

The Clark Freeport Zone has been recognized as among “The Top Global Free Zones” for 2012-2013 by an International Business Magazine, fDi Magazine, published by the Financial Times Business Group of London, citing its potentials as a world-class economic haven. With this recognition, more foreign and local investors are expected to relocate or set up their business in the sprawling freeport zone in Pampanga.

15 July 2012

Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) has been ranked 20 in the world in this year's Global Free Zone Rankings released by premier publication Financial Times' s fDi Magazine. ASEZA Deputy Chief Commissioner Issam Khreisat said the rank reflects the ASEZA's ability to lure more investments, as such surveys are published in world media and are followed up by concerned economists and investment agencies.

14 July 2012

The Chittagong Export processing Zone (CEPZ) has been ranked 9th among 600 free zones of 120 countries by fDi Magazine of the Financial Times after global survey in 2010. "This is the first time the country's first EPZ has been ranked from overall categories of the fDi as we earlier were ranked 3rd and 4th in two different categories," said AKM Mahbubur Rahman (member finance) of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA).

3 July 2012

Firms based in the county and abroad are expected to consider investing here as a London-based financial magazine cited this free port as among “the top Global Free Zones” for 2012-13. The Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine published by The Financial Times Business Group cited Clark and its potentials as a world-class economic haven. The magazine also cited Clark in 2010.

Sheffield’s Enterprise Zone has been rated the best place for business to locate in the UK and among the top 40 places in the world. The zone, which takes in sites in Sheffield, Rotherham and Derbyshire, has been awarded the top spot by fDiMagazine, a Financial Times specialist publication which assesses opportunities for foreign direct investment.

2 July 2012

In continued efforts towards building stronger trade ties between the UAE and Japan, Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA) winner of the fDiMagazine Global Ranking Free Zone of the Future 2012/13 recently organized a networking event for Japanese investors and companies.

1 July 2012

For the second year running, the Republic topped a regional ranking of cities based on how well-prepared they are for the future. Yesterday, the ranking - now into its second edition - was released by fDiIntelligence, a bi-monthly magazine that is an offshoot of the company that publishes the Financial Times newspaper.

June

29 June 2012

Around 6,000 jobs will be created within two years as part of expansion plans at the Bahrain International Investment Park. The figures emerged as the BIIP was voted the 15th most popular destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world, seventh in the Middle East and number one in Bahrain by the Financial Times fDiIntelligence publication.

28 June 2012

The Clark Freeport has again landed on the pages of Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine as one of the top Global Free Zones of the future for 2012/13. In 2010, fDiMagazine, published by the prestigious London-based The Financial Times Business Group, has also cited Clark and its potentials as a world-class economic haven.

The Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr. Hassan Fakhro welcomed the official publication by fDiIntelligence magazine which announced the top global economic locations for Foreign Direct Investment in 2012 /2013. Dr Fakhro stated that he was particularly pleased to see that the Bahrain International Investment Park at Salman Industrial City was ranked very highly.

19 June 2012

According to the latest report by fDiIntelligence, Pakistan amongst others has recorded more than 60 percent growth in capital investment in terms of project size. However, with hardly any inflows from cross border mergers and acquisitions or privatisation proceeds, the dwindling number of Greenfield projects is a direct hit to investment that lands from abroad.

14 June 2012

Ontario has landed the most renewable energy projects in Canada’s provinces or the US states, according to a recent report by fDiIntelligence. The report by the foreign direct investment intelligence division of the London, UK-based publisher of the Financial Times notes Ontario landed 11 contracts in the sector.

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), the licensing authority for the Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) Free Zone, has been ranked 5th in the Middle East and 11th globally in fDiMagazine's annual 'Global Free Zones of the Future' rankings and awards for 2012/2013. The youngest free zone in the top five, the JLT Free Zone's debut entry was rated on five categories: cost effectiveness, facilities, transportation, incentives and promotion strategy.

Ontario, Canada attracted more foreign capital investment in 2011 than any North American state or province except Alberta, according to a report recently released by the Financial Times' fDiIntelligence think-tank. The report, titled "The fDireport 2012 - Global greenfield investment trends", shows that last year, Ontario attracted 135 foreign direct investment projects worth an estimated US$7.1 billion, or almost 7 per cent of total FDI value in North America.

Dubai Airport Freezone- DAFZA has been ranked 1st in the world in this year's Global Free Zone Rankings released by premier publication Financial Times' s fDiMagazine. The ranking comes as a result of the continuous efforts of Dubai Airport Freezone in providing quality services and infrastructure to its tenants, attracting foreign investment to the region as well as strengthening its position as the fastest-growing business hub in the Middle East.

Dubai Airport Freezone has been named the world’s top economic cluster in a report by the Financial Times’ fDimagazine. Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) Freezone, was also ranked 11th globally in a strong showing by the UAE, which is still proving an attractive proposition for global companies keen to establish a presence in the region.

7 June 2012

Bahrain is home to three of the world’s top twenty special economic zones and locations for inward investment, economic development and business expansion globally, according to a report by fDiMagazine.

6 June 2012

Ontario's auto parts industry is growing. Companies across the province now employ more than 55,000 people - a 10 per cent increase since the 2009 recessionary low - and are well positioned to capture a growing share of the $1.1 trillion global automotive parts market. In 2011, Ontario ranked first of all major jurisdictions in North America in foreign direct investment per capita, according to fDiIntelligence.

May

29 May 2012

Foreign direct investment plays a key role in the Indiana economy, particularly in the manufacturing sector. A new Indiana University report shows that in 2009, the state's share of FDI-related employment in manufacturing was higher than the nation, a trend that likely will continue. The report incorporates data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and fDiMarkets, a service of the Financial Times.

24 May 2012

It's no secret for anyone who follows markets closely that Southeast Asia, and in particular China, will be the engine of growth for the 21st century. According to the Financial Times' fDiIntelligence division, Singapore not only receives more financial foreign investment than any other major financial center in the world, it receives more than New York, London, Frankfurt and Switzerland....combined.

23 May 2012

Huntsville and Madison, Alabama have been appearing in various “best places” list in recent months, the latest of which is fDiMagazine’s “American Cities of the Future” ranking. The magazine ranked Huntsville #5 in its list of the “Top 10 Small Cities of the Future” in North and South America, an accolade that comes as no surprise to leading Huntsville, AL real estate professional Leena Jacobs.

16 May 2012

While domestic conditions may be very difficult, when it comes to foreign direct investment (FDI), Europe remains on an upward curve. However [this] hides the fact that the experience is far more positive for some than it is for others. For example, of the three countries which received bailouts from the EU – Ireland, Greece and Portugal – data fromfDiIntelligence shows that Ireland is the only one to have experienced an increase in FDI since the crisis began in 2008.

15 May 2012

Foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in the Middle East and Africa grew by 16% in 2011. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) attracted a total of 1530 projects, according to a report released by fDiIntelligence. Capital investment in the region was down slightly by 1% and job creation up by 3%. The top 10 countries for Foreign direct investment (FDI), attracted 64% of projects and capital investment, and 54% of jobs created.

Multinational export companies are major generators of jobs and export sales, the Irish Exporters' Association (IEA) stated at the launch of the multinational exporter of the year award 2012 programme. Aer Lingus Cargo is to sponsor the award. John Whelan, CEO of the IEA said: "A recent study by fDiIntelligence found that Ireland had the highest proportion of expansions globally ahead of the US, UK and Germany." The fDireport showed foreign direct capital investment grew by 78pc in Ireland last year and associated job creation by 13pc.

12 May 2012

Jastrebarsko, a small town located south of Zagreb, was recently voted one of the European cities of the future for the southern region of Europe, for 2012 / 2013. Specifically, the Financial Times has, as part of the competition for European cities and regions of the future, put the small Croatian town in the seventh place, placing it alongside well-known and developed European cities.

10 May 2012

The austerity package of the Czech government slowed economic growth by one percentage point last year and this year it will cause a 0.2 percentage point slowdown, Czech National Bank (CNB) governor Miroslav Singer said in parliament. According to the “European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/2013” ranking compiled by the prestigious British fDiMagazine, Czech cities and regions are very well positioned in terms of supporting foreign direct investments.

2 May 2012

Giants of the public and private sector have joined forces to create a new organisation that will create thousands of jobs and give the region a multi-million pound cash injection - the North Wales Economic Ambition Board. In 2005, after the WDA was axed, the country received £6bn, but that figure would have been around £12bn had Wales remained at the same level and not dropped from second to ninth place in the inward investment tables, produced by UKTI and fDimarkets for the Financial Times.

1 May 2012

Bristol has been named Europe’s best small ‘city of the future.’ The influential business publication, fDiMagazine, has named Bristol as the continent’s best small city in its ‘European Cities and Regions of the Future’ report.The city came top in the comparison study of major population centres when ranked in terms of commerce, economy and standards of living. Tough competition came from Zurich, Antwerp, Lyon and Manchester.

April

30 April 2012

It was a big week for Bristol last week – a flying visit from PM David Cameron to rally the ‘Say Yes to Mayors’ camapaign and the launch of the new Enterprise Zone with Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, the latter complete with circus acts and the added PR frisson of avoiding an embarrassing headline or photo.We’ve also just picked up the prize for the city’s most business friendly city of its size for future investors, according the fDiMagazine, putting us ahead of places such as Manchester, Zurich and Liverpool.

23 April 2012

Projects in Middle East and Africa increased by 16% yoy to 1530 in 2011, while capital investments were slightly down by 1%, according to fDiIntelligence. South Africa was ranked highest, while the negative impact of the Arab Spring was quite evident: projects in Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Syria and Tunisia were down by 80%, 80%, 29%, 26% and 14% respectively.

19 April 2012

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) attracted a total of 1,530 projects, according to a report released by fDiIntelligence. Capital investment was down slightly by 1 per cent and job creation up by 3 per cent. The top 10 countries for FDI attracted 64 per cent of projects and capital investment, and 54 per cent of jobs created.

18 April 2012

Ireland significantly outperformed the rest of Europe in attracting foreign direct investment last year. According to the 2012 Foreign Direct Investment Report from fDiIntelligence — a London-based subsidiary of the Financial Times Group — Ireland attracted 186 investment projects from overseas during 2011, up 22% on 2010 levels.

The UAE attracted the highest number of foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in the Middle East and Africa last year, according to the latest ranking of FDI destinations byfDiIntelligence, part of The Financial Times.

More than US$10 billion (Dh36.73bn) in foreign investment poured into the UAE last year, making it the leading destination for the number of foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in the Middle East and Africa. A total of 328 projects were launched, up 13 per cent from the previous year, data from fDiIntelligence shows. The rise comes despite a muted year globally for FDI as jitters about the euro zone, the United States and unrest in the Arab world knocked investor sentiment.

12 April 2012

Bristol has been named Europe’s best small “city of the future”. Each year the influential business publication fDiMagazine ranks the major population centres against one another in terms of commerce, economies and standards of living. And its European Cities and Regions of the Future report has named Bristol as the continent’s best small city, beating rivals including Zurich, Antwerp, Lyon and Manchester.

10 April 2012

Ras Al Khaimah, the fourth-largest emirate in the UAE, today boasts a rapidly growing economy, thanks to the ambitious process of economic diversification adopted by the government that primarily focuses industry, trade and commerce, tourism and real estate. Ras Al Khaimah was recently rated the best investment destination by thefDiMagazine.

5 April 2012

Liverpool has been ranked in the top 25 European cities for inward investment potential for the first time. The city has broken into the top tier out of a total list of 253 European cities for foreign direct investment (FDI) compiled by fDiMagazine. The highly-rated survey, which is carried out every two years, is used by global investors when assessing which locations offer the best prospects.

4 April 2012

Frankfurt (Oder)/Eisenhüttenstadt is experiencing an exciting period of growth, and with the opening of the Berlin-Brandenburg airport its appeal as an investment destination can only increase. In the 2009/2010 issue of the London financial magazine fDiMagazine (FT Group) the region ranks within the top 25 of the European Cities and Regions of the Future, selected from 1,000 cities and metropolitan regions in Europe.

3 April 2012

In a report produced by the fDiIntelligence, the Netherlands performed well in a series of rankings that measured future prospects of 253 cities and 110 regions across Europe.Amsterdam was ranked the 15th top European city overall for the future, and the 3rd best large European city. It scored highly for infrastructure, attitudes towards business and the quality of its human resources.

2 April 2012

With significant investment potential and a booming real estate sector, Stockholm gained substantial attention at the world's biggest international real estate trade show for professional investors, MIPIM, in Cannes. Stockholm was also in the spotlight during the MIPIM trade show after being named the overall winner in a prestigious European region ranking, conducted by the Financial Times' fDiIntelligence Unit. The prize was received in an award ceremony by the Mayor of Stockholm, Sten Nordin.

March

28 March 2012

With great economic potential and business friendliness, Stockholm has been ranked as Europe's best region in terms of its prospects for attracting inward investment and achieving economic development and business expansion. The Greater Stockholm region overtook the South East UK to become the top region in the Financial Times' biennial European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/2013 report, conducted by its fDiIntelligence Unit.

Iain Gray’s cheap, ill-informed diatribe in the Perspective section yesterday is nothing more than blatant electioneering for the Glasgow Labour Party, putting party politics above the city he professes to love. Edinburgh was this month announced as Best Large City of the Future and Best Large City for Foreign Direct Investment Strategy, as well as receiving awards for Economic Potential, Quality of Life, and Business Friendliness from the Financial Times’ fDiMagazine.

25 March 2012

The Chittagong EPZ is the pioneer for investors which gradually turned Bangladesh as a “New Horizon for investment”. Recently The Financial Times, a London based fDiMagazine, has ranked Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) as the 3rd Best Cost Competitive Zone in the world and the 4th in the Best Economic Potential for 2010-11.

23 March 2012

Bristol has been named Europe’s best small “city of the future”. Each year the influential business publication fDiMagazine ranks the major population centres against one another in terms of commerce, economies and standards of living. And its European Cities and Regions of the Future report has named Bristol as the continent’s best small city, beating rivals including Zurich, Antwerp, Lyon and Manchester.

21 March 2012

CNBC, the leading business and financial news network, today launches a new pan-European advertising campaign to strengthen awareness of the network and its flagship morning programme Squawk Box. The print and on-line campaign will run pan-regionally in media including the Financial Times, FT.com, FT Weekend Magazine, Shares magazine and also specialist finance and luxury titles including The Banker, fDiIntelligence, Elevator, Spear’s and Lusso.

19 March 2012

Oxford has been named one of the 10 ‘Micro European Cities’ of the future. Foreign investment publication fDiMagazine ranked European cities on their potential to capture future investment and expansion projects. Oxford was ranked No 1 for human resources, and within the top 10 micro cities for quality of life.

15 March 2012

fDiMagazine’s ranking list European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/13 awards Greater Stockholm Region as Overall Winner in Europe for FDI. Stockholm is also Overall Winner for Quality of Life. The region is second in Business Friendliness and third in Economic Potential.

Coventry is officially one of the friendliest cities in Europe for firms after receiving international recognition for the help it gives to business. Local leaders were recognised and rewarded at a major conference this week, after the city was listed in the top ten for business friendliness in the fDiEuropean Cities and Regions of the Future Awards. The prestigious awards recognise the cities and regions ranked with the best prospects for inward investment, economic development and business expansion.

11 March 2012

Guadalajara is becoming known as the Silicon Valley of Mexico as its economy is based especially on information technology with a large number of international firms having facilities there. It is the highest ranking major Mexican city and has the second strongest economic potential of any major North American city. Only Chicago scores more highly for sheer economic potential (Per a 2007 report in fDiMagazine...)

9 March 2012

Pittsburgh’s arts and cultural organizations and businesses are pulling together with the city, county and state to focus attention on what’s “world best” about Pittsburgh in 2012. The initiative – dubbed the “Best of the World Pittsburgh Partnership” – aims to increase visits and economic investments to the region by leveraging attention brought by a National Geographic article that named Pittsburgh among the world’s 20 must-see places to visit in 2012. The region will be featured in fDiin the fall.

Nottingham's director of development took to the stage in Cannes to accept an award which ranked the city as one of the best of its size in Europe for business. David Bishop received awards handed out by fDiIntelligence, a division of the Financial Times, at MIPIM, the international property and investment event which has been taking place in the south of France this week.

8 March 2012

The European Cites & Regions of the Future 2012/13 awards ceremony took place on March 7th during the MIPIM – the largest real estate show in Cannes, France. The awards were based on the ranking, created by the fDiIntelligence, a unit of Financial Times, the most influential foreign direct investments publication in the world.

2 March 2012

Bristol and Bath are working together for the first time to raise their international profile at MIPIM, Europe’s largest property fair taking place in Cannes next week. During the event Bristol will be picking up fDiMagazine’s award as the winner of European City of The Future in their category. The city’s strong concentration of hi-tech and knowledge-based sectors, its business friendliness and excellent quality of life were highlighted in the prestigious business awards.

One of the Financial Times publications, fDiMagazine, the leading bi-monthly title for the business of globalisation, has named the small town of Jastrebasko in the county of Zagreb in Croatia amongst the top ten most perspective cities in the Southern Europe section of the European Cities and Regions of the Future list for 2012/13.

In February 2012 the latest report “European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/2013” was published, based on the research carried out by fDiIntelligence from The Financial Times Ltd. The Ranking, which compares 253 European cities, was created by an independent collection of data and set under 6 categories: economic potential, human resources, cost effectiveness, quality of life, infrastructure and business friendliness.

February

29 February 2012

Having just been voted 'Best Large European City’ for foreign direct investment (fDi) by Financial Times fDiMagazine, Edinburgh will be showcased this week at MIPIM – the world's leading property trade show. Dave Anderson, The City of Edinburgh Council's Director of City Development, shares his thoughts on the market...

Every year fDi(part of the Financial Times Group) gathers a team of experts to review the future prospects of all European cities. Each is judged on various criteria including business friendliness, quality of life, foreign investment strategy, infrastructure and so on. And of all the many potential winners, plucky Bristol has been awarded the title of ‘Best Small European City of the Future’.

28 February 2012

Nottingham has been rated as one of Europe's top ten cities. The finding has come as part of research done by fDiIntelligence, a specialist division of the Financial Times. The study, called European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/2013, ranks Nottingham as eighth best micro European city, after Oxford and followed by Eindhoven, in the Netherlands.

24 February 2012

Dubai has long earned the reputation of being one of the world's most desirable business destinations. A study by fDimagazine crowned Dubai as the "Middle East City Of The Future 2010-11", underlining the emirate's premier status as a preferred foreign direct investment (FDI) location. Dubai ranked well across all categories, achieving top positions in economic potential, infrastructure and business friendliness.

Financial Times' fDiIntelligence Unit has released their annual European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/2013 report. According to the new document, seven Ukrainian cities topped the list of most cost effective destinations for investment. The Western Ukrainian city of Ternopil ranked as the best European city for cost effectiveness.

22 February 2012

The city of Antwerp has been voted the best small city in Europe for foreign direct investment strategy by the Financial Times. In its biennial report “European Regions and Cities of the Future”, Antwerp also comes in second place among all cities for attracting investment. The report compares 253 cities and 110 regions on the basis of economic potential, human resources, quality of life, cost-effectiveness and a business-friendly climate.

A new report should be enough to encourage even the most hard-nosed observers of Sheffield’s business world, for it ranks the city not only ahead of many of its UK rivals but places it in a rare league across Europe. Prepared by fDi, a leading provider of foreign direct investment intelligence, the European Cities and Regions of the Future report places Sheffield sixth in terms of its strategy for attracting foreign direct investment and eighth for its overall prospects.

Sheffield has been ranked as one of the Top 10 Small European Cities in terms of its prospects for attracting inward investment and achieving economic development and business expansion. The accolade comes from leading provider of foreign direct investment intelligence, fDi, in its latest research report, European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/2013.

Taipei was ranked fifth among 141 cities in the latest Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future report released by the Foreign Direct Investment Intelligence (fDiIntelligence) unit of Financial Times Ltd., sources said Feb. 21. According to fDiIntelligence, the ROC capital city has high productivity, healthy export growth and a good track record for hosting and exporting foreign direct investment.

16 February 2012

A report has put Reading in the top five European cities of the future behind London, Paris, Vienna and Moscow. The same study named Reading as the top micro city in Europe. Business leaders have hailed the “incredible news” for the town, which is the bookies’ favourite to gain city status next month. Reading beat UK cities including Cambridge, Edinburgh and Glasgow in the top 25 overall European cities chart published in the fDi(Foreign Direct Investment) Magazine’s European Cities & Regions of the Future 2012/13 report.

Bristol is the most business-friendly European city of its size for future international investment, according to an assessment by independent experts at fDimagazine. The city’s strong concentration of high-tech and knowledge-based sectors, its business friendliness and excellent quality of life are highlighted in the prestigious fDiresearch which also places Bristol ahead of major competitors, including Manchester, Zurich and Liverpool.

London has secured eight of the top places at the "fDiIntelligence European Cities & Regions of the Future Awards", to be awarded at MIPIM in Cannes. The highly coveted and contested "European Cities of the Future" award topped a stunning portfolio of awards highlighting London's Human Resources; Infrastructure and Business Friendliness. Other categories in which London placed within the top five include Economic Potential and fDiStrategy and within the top ten for Quality of Living.

15 February 2012

GLASGOW has been named Europe’s top large “city of the future”. Foreign investment publication fDiMagazine ranked European cities on their potential to capture future investment. Glasgow and Edinburgh were named at the top of the list of “large European cities” – cities with a population between 500,000 and one million – outstripping Amsterdam, Oslo and Helsinki.

Edinburgh has been ranked as the best large European City (population of between 500,000 and 1 million) for foreign direct investment in the recently announcedfDi’s European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/13 awards. Scotland's capital city was also given the award for the best Foreign Direct Investment Strategy in Europe.

The fDimagazine, an edition of the Financial Times, has assessed Inđija Municipality in Vojvodina, in the north of Serbia, as the second best destination in Europe in terms of cost effective investments. Indjija has earned this recognition primarily due to its effective administration, good infrastructure and the implementation of the latest information technologies, it is announced from the cabinet of Indjija Mayor Goran Ješić.

14 February 2012

FINANCIAL experts have ranked Stoke-on-Trent as one in the top 10 European "cities of the future". The Potteries ranked sixth in the category for cities with a population of less than 250,000 after being praised for its transport links and planned developments, such as City Sentral. The list was compiled by fDimagazine – part of the Financial Times – after independent research.

Edinburgh and Glasgow have been named Europe's top large "cities of the future". Foreign investment publication fDiMagazine ranked the continent's cities on their potential to capture future investment and expansion projects. Edinburgh and Glasgow topped the list of "large" European cities, those with a population of between 500,000 and one million, beating Amsterdam, Oslo and Helsinki.

07 February 2012

Among the list of the “Asian-Pacific Future Cities 2011 to 2012 – the top 10 Strategic Cities for Foreign Direct Investment” selected by fDimagazine of the U.K. Financial Times Group, China’s Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Chengdu entered the top ten list, with Chengdu being the only inland city, learnt the journalist on December 19th.

06 February 2012

During the year, RAK FTZ won numerous industry accolades and awards. fDiMagazine rated RAK FTZ as the fourth best Middle East Free Zone of the Future and rated third for Best Economic Potential across the Middle East, in the 2011-2012 ranking, out of 115 free zones in the region.

03 February 2012

President Rod Crider said the Wooster Micropolitan Statistical Area was again in the top six areas in the country in 2010, and while he knows how it fared for 2011, he could not release the information. He told the crowd it would be impressed. Crider reiterated the fDi Intelligence, an affiliate of the Financial Times in London, ranked Wooster among the top in the Americas in "Cities of the Future."

02 February 2012

Belarus’ investment potential has been praised by Britain’s fDi Magazine which issued a special edition dedicated to Belarus’ investment opportunities. The presentation of fDi Magazine Supplement "Belarus beckons. Europe's final FDI frontier opens up" took place in London in late January, BelTA learnt from the PR Department of the Economy Ministry of Belarus.

January

29 January 2012

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in India rose 13 percent to $50.81 billion in the first 11 months of 2011 from a year earlier, while the total number of projects rose 25 percent to 864, the report said, citing data from the Financial Times' fDi Intelligence service. Business confidence in India has declined over the past year, as economic growth slowed from an annual rate of 8.5 percent in 2010/11 to about 7 percent...

Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing are the three mainland Chinese cities that make the top ten of fDi’s ‘Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future’ ranking... Seven Chinese cities (including Guangzhou, Kunshan and Suzhou) dominate the economic potential ranking, but Chengdu is not one of them. The city is, however, one of only two from mainland China to make the top ten for ‘FDI strategy’...

The team, founded in 2005, initially mirrored the fortunes of the city, which gained fame for manufacturing and infamy for the unsolved murders of hundreds of young women. Local optimism once ran so high that fDiMagazine ranked Ciudad Juárez the top North American large city of the future in 2007, ahead of Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa.

25 January 2012

Morocco is set to reinforce the contribution of tourism in its economy through attracting more tourists, the British magazine Foreign Direct Investments (fDi) wrote in its latest edition... “The country’s government is not resting on its laurels, and has launched a plan to pull in more tourists, and in doing so attract more foreign investment and create more jobs,” underscored the magazine.

24 January 2012

Last year, fDi Intelligence ranked Greenville as the number 1 micro city of the future, a tremendous honor for our city. It is great to see that Greenville is recognised across the country for its recent string of unbeatable economic activity and jobs news. The fDi Intelligence ranking was based on the following criteria: economic potential, human resources, cost effectiveness, quality of life, infrastructure, and business friendliness.

23 January 2012

The Moroccan capital of Casablanca, where several modernization projects have been launched to attract foreign investors, is well positioned to become an international financial center, writes the British review fDi Magazine in its latest issue. Already recognized as the most important financial market in North Africa, the Moroccan financial center is experiencing rapid economic growth.

With a slew of new projects intended to attract foreign investors, Casablanca is well positioned to achieve its aim of becoming an international financial centre, the UK fDi magazine writes in its latest issue. It adds that the Casablanca Stock Exchange is north Africa’s largest stock exchange, and is emblematic of the continued role the city plays...

19 January 2012

Morocco thanks to its political stability and pertinence of economic choices, provides haven from revolutions and recession, wrote the Foreign Direct Investments (fDi) Magazine in its latest issue ..."there is a pervading feeling that the country will sustain its solid economic growth,” said the Magazine which chose in 2011 Morocco as Africa’s country of the future.

Atlanta's environment for foreign investment was ranked No. 5 in the U.S. by fDi magazine last year, but the mayor has been keen to improve the business climate for both local and foreign companies. He told GlobalAtlantain late 2010 that he would appoint an agency to ensure businesses' needs were met, either using the Atlanta Development Authority or creating a new entity.

13 January 2012

The Ukrainian regional center of Rivne ranks among top ten European cities and regions in a study entitled "European Cities & Regions of the Future 2012/13." The study is being conducted in cooperation with investment agencies and media representatives from Europe such as the fDi Intelligence magazine and the Financial Times (Britain).

12 January 2012

Lviv has been named in the top 10 European cities of the future, according to research by the Financial Times newspaper. In particular, Lviv has been noted as having the best strategy to attract foreign investment and efficiency in business... Lviv also got an invitation from fDi Intelligence (a branch of Financial Times Ltd) to the ceremony to be held on March 7 2012 in Cannes)...

08 January 2012

In that year Chinese companies invested in 78 projects in the country, almost 20 times more than in 2006, according to fDi Markets, a Financial Times investment monitor. . According to fDi Markets, China ranks seventh in project numbers in German investment with 190 from 2003 to 2010; the United States tops the list with 1,065 projects.

04 January 2012

APRIL... This month it was announced The Financial Times of London fDi Magazine named the capital as the No. 1 city for best foreign direct investment strategy in its size category in North, Central and South America.

03 January 2012

As we start 2012, it is a good time to reflect and look forward. We are very pleased to welcome Courtney Fingar the editor of fDi magazine to share her views on where FDI is going and where investment promotion agencies should be focussing their efforts. fDi Magazine recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary...

A study by fDi magazine crowned Dubai as the “Middle East city of the Future 2010/11”, underlining the emirate’s premier status as a preferred foreign direct investment destination. Dubai ranked exceptionally well across all categories achieving top positions in Economic Potential, Infrastructure and Business Friendliness.

December

31 December 2011

That followed an announcement in April that British-based fDi Magazine, owned by the prestigious Financial Times Group, had ranked Hamilton as one of the top 10 large cities in North America ripe for foreign investment. In a similar boost to the city’s confidence, in May, the Canadian Institute of Planners named Ottawa Street North...

fDi Intelligence (Foreign Direct Investment), which analyses investment flows, stated in a report that in 2011 Poland and Russia were becoming the fastest-growing European investment destinations while Western Europe remained in the grip of the infamous credit crisis.

28 December 2011

Chengdu performed well in the ranking for the Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future 2011-12 published by fDi Intelligence magazine. The magazine is a bi-monthly news and foreign direct investment (FDI) publication owned by The Financial Times and based in London. The shortlist was created through independent data collection by professional...

22 December 2011

Chinese cities performed well in the new ranking of the Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future 2011/12 published by fDi Intelligence magazine, a bi-monthly news and foreign direct investment (FDI) publication owned by The Financial Times based in London.

20 December 2011

Singapore retains its position at the top of the Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future ranking released earlier this month by fDi Intelligence.com, a provider of foreign direct investment intelligence from The Financial Times. Shanghai is ranked in second place and topped the economic potential and human resources categories. Seoul finished third in the ranking, up from fifth place in the Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future 2009/10 list.

Salalah Free Zone in the Sultanate of Oman has been ranked 17th out of 130 free zones in the Middle East surveyed in an authoritative study, Middle East Free Zones of the Future 2011/2012, by fDi Magazine, a division of the Financial Times.

19 December 2011

Auckland usually holds its own in global lifestyle surveys, but according to fDi magazine, New Zealand's biggest city also scores well when it comes to business. The foreign direct investment magazine, owned by The Financial Times Ltd, rated Auckland sixth for business friendliness and seventh overall (up from 10th place in the last fDi rankings). The increase can be attributed to a jump in Auckland’s foreign direct investment.

Rising Chinese industrial centre and western China powerhouse Chengdu performed well in the ranking for the Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future 2011-12 published by fDi Intelligence magazine. Chengdu, the only Chinese inland city on the list, has attracted investment from Intel, Accenture, IBM, Ubisoft, MSK, Philips and numerous other...

fDi magazine’s Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future 2011/12 survey sees Auckland ranked sixth in the Business Friendliness category and rising from 10th to seventh place in the FDI Strategy category rankings.

Guadalajara was considered the city of the future by fDi Magazine's 2008 studies, due to its largely young population, its low unemployment, the large inflow of recent foreign investments, and the number of projects it has in the pipeline. Additionally, it has been selected as the venue of the 2011 Pan-American Games.

16 December 2011

Wellington has the second best quality of life of cities in the Asia Pacific region according to a new survey. The capital also rates highly in the business friendliness category, placing eighth in the top 10 cities, ahead of Melbourne and Sydney and two places behind Auckland. The Asia-Pacific 'Cities of the Future' survey by fDi Intelligence, a specialist division of...

Ipswich has scored higher than Tokyo, Singapore and Brisbane to finish fourth in the quality of living index in a recent competition for cities in the Asia-Pacific region. A study by fDi Intelligence called Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future 2011/12 awarded Ipswich fourth place in the region for quality of living behind Canberra, Wellington (NZ) and Sydney.

Wellington has scored highly in a survey of Asia-Pacific ‘Cities of the Future’. Wellington rates highly in the fDi Intelligence.com business friendliness category, being placed eighth in the top 10 cities, ahead of Melbourne and Sydney and two places behind Auckland (sixth). The capital is also ranked second in the quality of living index – ahead of Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and Gold Coast.

14 December 2011

Melbourne has retained its position as the highest ranked Australian city in the 2011-12 fDi Intelligence Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future list. Ranked eighth overall out of 141 cities, Melbourne also scored a clutch of top ten positions globally. In particular, Invest Victoria’s fDi promotional strategy for Melbourne, was ranked second overall, with particular recognition for the quality and number of staff dedicated to promoting...

13 December 2011

Dr Zarooni has been a key figure in establishing the free zones industry and it is under his leadership that Dubai Airport Freezone has been ranked by fDi magazine as the best freezone in the Middle East and second best in the world.

13 November 2011

The Bahrain Logistics Zone (BLZ), the Kingdom’s dedicated customs-free value-added logistic boutique, has been ranked among the leading top ten Middle East free zones, according to a report by the Financial Times, fDi magazine.

3 November 2011

Morocco has been ranked the most attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa for the period 2011-2012, according to a review by fDi Intelligence, a specialised division of the London Financial Times newspaper.

2 November 2011

The African Countries of the Future is an annual classification of countries that measures the FDI strategy, economic potential, human resources etc of countries on the continent. It is generated using data collected by fDi Magazine, a bi-monthly FDI publication...

1 November 2011

To write of Edinburgh is to write a list of accolades. Scotland’s capital. Favourite U.K. city in the Guardian/Observer Travel Awards. “Best small city of the future” by fDi Magazine... The city’s hotel market, not surprisingly, has seen strong...

Raleigh is among the top 10 large cities for both economic potential and business friendliness in 2011-2012, according to fDi Magazine, and Raleigh is among the top 20 best job markets in America...

12 October 2011

eHosting DataFort (eHDF), the region's leading managed IT and advisory services provider and a member of TECOM Investments' Technology... number 2 in the world by the premier Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine...

11 October 2011

On Feb. 9 2011, our community adopted a Five Year Regional Economic Roadmap... Top Seven Most Intelligent Communities in the world and the No. 2 Large City in which to invest in North America, by fDi Magazine.

05 October 2011

03 October 2011

...fastest growing economy (Conference Board of Canada), one of the worlds Top 7 most intelligent communities (Intelligent Community Forum) and fDi Magazine #2 Large American City for Economic Potential in 2011.

23 September 2011

fDi Intelligence is a specialist division of the Financial Times, established to provide industry leading insight into globalisation that enables both companies and economic development organisations to make informed decisions regarding their foreign direct investment strategies.

22 September 2011

According to fDi Magazine (a division of the Financial Times), Budapest, Hungry ranks 3rd on their European Cities and Regions of the Future list. By economic development standards, that’s not too shabby for a city that for centuries was simply known for being the convergence of art, castle-building, invasion and rebellion.

20 September 2011

In 2007, fDi Magazine ranked the city no. 3 in the United States for cities of the future... The American Lung Association (ALA) also conducted a review. In its review, Columbus’ air quality failed due to its high number of ozone days.

19 September 2011

It is estimated that by the end of 2011 new contracts will be worth a total of 12.8 billion dirham (Minister of Tourism & Handicraft, Morocco). Not surprisingly therefore Morocco has been voted "African Country of the Future 2011/12" by fDi Intelligence

15 September 2011

The idyllic islands - which have become a popular destination for offshore business incorporation due to their favourable tax regime - were uniformly lauded in the recently released report by fDi Intelligence.

In order to present more current, "real-time" trends and expectations for the future, the IBRC used FDI announcements for greenfield and expansion investments from 2008 to 2010 in the report, using fDi Markets™ data

11 September 2011

fDi Intelligence has named the British Virgin Islands as the number one country for quality of life in the Caribbean and Central America. Chairman of the BVI Tourist Board, Neil Blyden commenting on...

Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ), a leading free trade zone in the UAE, has been ranked among the top five in the listing of Mideast Free Zones of the Future byfDi Magazine and Financial Times Business.

The quality of life in Bermuda is great, but the Island falls flat when it comes to business friendliness and the quality of its labour force. The eye-opening findings are contained in a new report by... fDi Intelligence...

The Financial Times has ranked five Caribbean countries, including Trinidad & Tobago, among the top 10 Caribbean and Central American Countries of the Future. Costa Rica has been awarded fDi’s Caribbean and...

fDi Intelligence, a specialist division of the Financial Times, released this month the 'African Countries of the Future 2011/12'. Mauritius moved up the overall ranking, climbing from fourth position...

22 August 2011

Dubai Airport Freezone, or DAF, has been ranked First Overall Middle East Free Zone 2011-2012 in the Middle East and North Africa region, in this year’s Middle East Free Zone Rankings, released by ... (fDi) Magazine ...

14 August 2011

According to the city government website, Cebu City is ranked eighth among the top 10 Asian Cities of the Future on a list compiled by the Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine of the Financial Times Group.

12 August 2011

The city of Greenville continues to be recognized on many best-of lists, and now it has been named the top micro city of the future. Greenville won the designation on fDi’s American Cities of the Future 2011/12.

11 August 2011

Austin ranked well in the Quality of Life, Business Friendliness, and a ranking known as the FDI Strategy. The Cities of the Future are created with an independent collection of data by fDi Intelligence ...

19 July 2011

fDi Magazine invites you to tell us why your Indian city is a key destination for foreign direct investment. In December 2011, fDi Magazine will publish Asia-Pacific Cities of the Future, a ranking of the economic, business and financial strengths of cities across the Asia-Pacific region. fDi wants to find those cities, large and small, with the best prospects for inward investment, economic development and business expansion.

18 April 2011

New York City ranks top in the first ever ‘American Cities of the Future’ ranking compiled by fDi Magazine, followed by Chicago and Houston. The new ranking focuses on a mixture of data and expert opinion to rank cities ...

Windsor, Ont., is being called one of the "Top 10 American cities of the future" according to a list compiled by fDi Magazine, a publication of the Financial Times of London. The magazine used a mixture of data and expert opinions ...

13 April 2011

The global FDI market declined in 2010 due to weak performance from Western Europe and the Middle East while manufacturing investment grew strongly in emerging markets and North America, according to the fDi Global Outlook Report 2011 published today by fDi Intelligence.

fDi Magazine, a publication of London's Financial Times and a provider of foreign direct investment information, ranked Huntsville No. 1 for the best FDI strategy among small cities in the Americas ...

12 April 2011

In the first ever “American Cities of the Future” ranking by fDi Magazine, Seattle ranked as the top large city (population between 250,000 and 750,000) in both the economic potential and infrastructure categories.

March

17 March 2011

fDi Magazine, a subsidiary of the Financial Times, in this month's edition, ran a feature on Middle East cities of the future, ranking cities by economic potential, infrastructure, business friendliness ...

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